fall – Page 2 – The Vegan Love Project

Spicy Split Pea Soup

I make this soup at least two to three times a month- It is truly my comfort food- my Dad LOVES this soup. Chipotle powder is what gives this soup its’ smokey flavor. Chipotle powder is a smoked dried Jalapeno with a delicious hot smokey/sweet flavor and is a spice that is always in my kitchen. If you can find liquid smoke, or smoke salt, or another natural smoke flavoring, it adds another layer of tremendous flavor that is typically found in traditional meat based split pea soup. Today I didn’t blend it at all, so I cut the vegetables uniformly. I also added a small thin skinned potato, diced in the last 15 minutes of cooking 1) cuz I had it in the house and 2) potatoes are YUMMY.

Wheat-Free, Gluten-Free

SPLIT PEA SOUP

3T olive oil

1c green split peas

1 small red or yellow onion, medium diced

1 small potato, medium diced *opt

1 small carrot, medium diced

1 veggie bouillon (or replace water with veggie broth)

4c water, pre-boiled

1t chipotle powder

1/2t cayenne pepper or 1 fresh hot pepper or chili

Salt and pepper to taste

2T Fresh parsley- to be added in at the end of cooking time

Heat up 6 cups water, in case you need more.

In a soup pot, heat up the olive oil. Add the onions and sauté until golden. Add the carrots and cook for a minute or so before adding the peas. Add in the spices and stir until well incorporated. Add the peas, cover with the hot water, and add the bouillon.

Let simmer for 45-60 minutes or until everything has softened and the peas have broken down. If you prefer your soup unblended- be sure to cut the veggies small and uniformly so they are pleasant on the spoon. **If blending, you can partially blend or puree the mixture to the desired consistency.

Season to taste.

**Use caution when blending hot liquids

FOR PUREED SOUP:

In batches, in a blender or vitamix*, puree the split pea soup. Adjust the seasonings before serving.

*Caution: blending hot liquids can be extremely dangerous. Fill the blender only half way and proceed in batches if necessary.

Broccoli, Potato & French Lentil Soup / Stew

I love French lentils- they don’t break down like the other lentils so they have a really nice texture when cooked just to tender. They cook pretty quickly and they are a pulse that I keep in the house along side my red lentils. They are super yum in cold or hot salads. To make them, I used the the same pot prior to starting the soup; bring 3c of water to a boil with 1c dried French lentils. Let them come to a rolling boil, reduce the heat and simmer partially covered for 15-25 minutes or until the lentils are intact but tender. You can use another bean of your choice; chickpeas, pinto or kidney beans would be a delicious addition but there is something perfect about the combination of the lentil, broccoli and new potatoes. All veggies were procured locally, if not from my garden. You can cook out a lot of the water for a delicious and more hearty stew.

Broccoli, Potato Soup & French Lentil Soup/ Stew

2c French lentils- cooked

2 small thin skinned potatoes, scrubbed, washed, medium dice

1 clove garlic, smashed, minced

1 red onion, small dice

1 carrot, small dice

1//2 bunch broccoli, florets, stems medium dice

1 bouillon or veggie broth to replace the water

4c boiling water

1t chipotle powder *opt

1/2t hot sesame oil *opt

½ t black pepper

3T extra virgin olive oil

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil- in case you need more.

In a soup pot, heat up the olive oil. Add the onions, and garlic and sauté until golden. Add the carrots and cook for a minute or so before adding the potatoes. Add in salt and pepper, hot pepper, and stir until well incorporated. Cover with the hot water and add the bouillon.

Bring to a boil and let simmer for 25-30.

Add the broccoli and the cooked lentils and simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes. Adjust the seasonings.

Non Traditional Potato Onion Leek Soup

I came home from teaching yoga and wanted something quick and satisfying. The smell of soup cooking is so rewarding, so comforting for me. Everything was local, the potatoes, leeks, and the celery were from the Greenfield Farmers Market, the onions, parsley, hot peppers were from my garden. I partially blended this with an immersion blender and then added the parsley; kale or other greens would be really awesome as an addition toward the end of cook time but not necessary. So delicious. So yum. #nonleft

Non Traditional Potato Onion Leek Soup

Wheat-Free, Gluten-Free

2c thin skinned potato, washed and large dice

1 small red onion, coarsely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 stalk celery

1 leek, trimmed, rinsed and sliced

2c greens; spinach, kale or collards *optional

1/4t black pepper

1 small fresh hot pepper or 1/2t cayenne pepper flakes

1 vegetable bouillon cube (or 1T veggie broth powder)

1t chipotle powder

3T extra virgin olive oil

4c boiling water or vegetable broth (omit the bouillon)

1t salt or to taste

Bring 6c of water to a boil, in case you need more.

In a large soup pot, add the olive oil and sauté the onions, celery, hot pepper, and garlic until golden and soft. Add the potatoes, salt, black and chipotle pepper. Continue to sauté until the veggies turn bright, stirring often. Add the boiling water, the bouillon cube (or powder). Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes. You can blend for a smooth soup or partially blend with an immersion blender or leave as is. In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add the fresh greens if using. Adjust the seasonings before serving. Serve with crusty bread or add GF pasta or grains of your choosing.

Roasted Hot and Spicy Sweet Potatoes

Roasted Hot & Spicy, Sweet Potatoes

2-3 sweet potatoes, sliced on a diagonal or cubed

1 onion, sliced

1 clove garlic, sliced

3T maple syrup

3-4T extra virgin olive oil

1 hot red pepper, sliced

1/2t pink salt

1/4t fresh black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Toss all ingredients in a large bowl; making sure everything is well coated. Place in a shallow baking dish or roasting pan and put in the oven for 30 minutes, then toss and baste the vegetables with the roasting juices and continue to roast for an additional 20-30 minutes. Delicious warm or cold.

Fall Green Tomato Soup

This soup would be killer with fresh cilantro. When I moved out of Putney, I had so many green tomatoes still left on the vine that initially I though I was going to pickle or marinate, after several days in a wood bowl in the new place, something had to happen….and soon!…what I had was a ton of fresh parsley, local celery and carrots, and hot peppers and onions…. I didn’t process this to completely smooth, I left it sort of rough, definitely blended, but with texture….You could for sure make this more substantial by adding red lentils or pasta for a delicious protein fix however the simple taste of the fall veggies alone are super spectacular…..SO delicious.

Fall Green Tomato Soup

3c chopped fresh green tomatoes

1 one red onion, medium dice

1 carrot, medium dice

1 stalk celery, medium dice

3t extra virgin olive oil

1T raw agave or maple syrup

½ fresh jalapeno or cherry bomb pepper, medium dice

1/4t fresh black pepper

1/4c fresh parsley

1/2t pink salt

3c water

1 veggie bouillon or replace the water with veggie broth

Heat up a soup pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil and the chopped onions, carrots, and celery. Sautee until they are just golden. Add the fresh hot pepper, salt and black pepper and toss around in the pan for a minute or so before adding the fresh tomatoes. Cover with the water (or broth) and bring to a boil over medium heat- about 10 minutes or so. Puree and add in the fresh parsley, adjust seasonings and serve. Top with nutritional yeast and fresh black pepper. YUM!

*Caution: blending hot liquids can be extremely dangerous. Fill the blender only half way and proceed in batches if necessary.

Cauliflower, Tomato & Potato Fall Vegetable Soup

Everything was from my garden in Vermont or from the Greenfield Farmer’s Market….super delicious broth. You can make this more substantial by adding Gluten Free Pasta (or regular) and/or add a bean of your choosing, like chickpeas, pinto or kidney beans.

Cauliflower, Tomato & Potato Fall Vegetable Soup

Wheat-Free, Gluten-Free

1 thin skinned potato, washed and medium diced

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2c fresh corn niblets

1 medium tomato, diced

2c cauliflower florets

2c greens; spinach, kale or collards

1/4t black pepper

1 small fresh hot pepper or 1/2t cayenne pepper flakes

1 vegetable bouillon cube (or 1T veggie broth powder)

3T xvo

4c boiling water

1t salt or to taste

Bring 6c of water to a boil, in case you need more.

In a large soup pot, add the olive oil and sauté the onions and garlic until golden and soft. Add the tomatoes, potatoes, salt, black and red pepper. Continue to sauté until the veggies turn bright, stirring often. Add the boiling water, the bouillon cube (or powder). Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes. In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add the fresh corn, cauliflower and greens. Adjust the seasonings before serving. Serve with crusty bread or add GF pasta or grains of your choosing.

Fresh Tomato Soup

Amazing soup. JUST AMAZING. If the tomatoes are not sweet on their own, add a bit of sweetness with your favorite sweetener. I used Thai Basil to flavor this soup, being a fresh soup, any fresh herbs would be superbly paired against a late summer, early fall tomato; cilantro, italian basil, rosemary, thyme, etc. Serve with some crusty bread and a large leafy green salad this makes for an exceptional simple and satisfying meal.

Summer Tomato Soup

*Supa Fresca*

3c chopped fresh tomatoes

1 one onion, medium dice

3t extra virgin olive oil

2t raw agave or maple syrup

½ fresh jalapeno or cherry bomb pepper, small dice

1/4t fresh black pepper

1/2t pink salt

3c water

2T fresh basil

1 veggie bouillon or replace the water with veggie broth

Heat up a soup pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil and the chopped onions. Sautee until they are just golden. Add the fresh jalapeno, salt and pepper and toss around in the pan for a minute or so before adding the fresh tomatoes. Cover with the water (or broth) and bring to a boil over medium heat- about 10 minutes or so. Puree and add in the fresh basil, adjust seasonings and serve. YUM!

*Caution: blending hot liquids can be extremely dangerous. Fill the blender only half way and proceed in batches if necessary.

Homemade Fermented Sriracha Sauce (sweet hot chili sauce)

This stuff is STRAIGHT UP AWESOME. Fermented, local, fricken amazing….I used my fermented hot sauce as the base and tried to get it taste like my favorite sulfite sugar laden bottled stuff…..I NAILED IT. I gather you could make this simply using fresh peppers, garlic etc, but the fermented aspect gives it a flavor unlike anything just raw can do…. I use this sauce on everything, from beans to rice, tofu, tempeh, sandwiches- EVERYTHING….I’m sorta in shock I made it taste so good….. 🙂

See for yourself and tell me how it goes!

Sriracha Sauce

3C fermented hot peppers or 2c blended fermented hot sauce

1c raw local honey or raw agave

2T heaping mellow white miso- more if needed

1 clove garlic

1/2t pink salt

In a blender, combine all ingredients and process until completely smooth. Taste for sweeter or adjust for more salt. Bottle and refrigerate.

Makes 5-6 5oz bottles, or just one really giant awesome home batch.

Curried Ginger Squash Soup

Curried Ginger Squash Soup

1 small onion, minced

2T olive oil

2c sweet squash, roasted or steamed- cooked

2T maple syrup, agave, sucanat

2t curry powder

1/4t turmeric

4c hot water or veggie broth

1 veggie bouillon

3t fresh ginger, grated

1/4t cayenne or fresh hot pepper

1/4t salt

3/4c cashew milk *opt

Bring 4c of water to a boil.

In a large soup pot, add the olive oil and sauté the onions with the sweetener until golden and soft. Add the cooked squash, ginger, curry powder, turmeric, salt, black and red pepper. Continue to sauté until the squash, onions, and spices meld, stirring often. Add the boiling water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

In batches, in a blender or vitamix*, puree the soup with the cashew milk. At this point, the soup is delicious without the cashew milk but the crème can be added to create a wonderfully elegant soup. Adjust the seasonings again after adding the crème.

*Caution: blending hot liquids can be extremely dangerous. Fill the blender only half way and proceed in batches if necessary.

Roasted Breakfast Potatoes

Roasted Breakfast Potatoes

4 thin skinned potatoes, washed and scrubbed, skin on

3T-1/4c extra virgin olive oil

2t chili powder

1-1/2t sweet paprika (Hungarian)

1t pink salt

1T vegan butter *optional

¼t fresh black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Slice the potatoes lengthwise and then into thirds, cutting pieces no larger than 1 1/2-inch cubes.

In a saucepan, place potatoes with a little salt and add water to cover just up to ½ of the potatoes. Cook over medium-high heat for 10-12 minutes.

Drain well and transfer to a bowl.

Toss with the olive oil, spices and seasonings. Pour into a shallow baking dish and drizzle with a bit more olive oil and a little and drop small pieces of vegan butter throughout. Sprinkle with more salt and pepper. Bake for 45 minutes, toss the potatoes around in the pan a bit and then reduce the heat to 375 and roast for an additional 30 minutes or until edges are crisped and golden. Serve immediately.