Roasted Tomato Soup

This recipe is from Steamy Kitchen's blog (one of my favorites to follow!). I was looking for nutritious soup recipes for my poor hubby who recently had gum surgery. He loves salads and hasn't been able to eat anything crunchy! Since I recently picked up a quart of large, juicy homegrown tomatos from the local farmers' market, this was a good way to use them up. Often in tomato soups, it is turned into a "bisque" by adding cream, and I liked that this one had awesome flavor without all that extra fat. My immersion blender made quick work of the big chunks of veggies without having to transfer the boiling mixture into another appliance for blending.

RECIPE:
5 large tomatoes, cut into thick slices
1 onion, cut into 1/2" slices
1 jalapeno, cut in half lengthwise, seeded
2 bell peppers, cut into big chunks
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1-2 cloves garlic, peeled
salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups vegetable broth

Preheat oven to 400F. Spread tomatos, onion, jalapeno, bell peppers and garlic onto large baking sheets. Drizzle or spritz with olive oil until everything is thinly coated. Roast vegetables for 20-30 minutes, until everything is a bit browned and blistered. Take sheets out of the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Scrape all items into a large soup pot then add vegetable broth, paprika, salt and pepper. Use immersion blender to blend all ingredients to a smooth puree. Otherwise, transfer contents of soup pot to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Once soup is blended and back in the soup pot, bring to a simmer for about 10 minutes to let the flavors meld, and adjust seasoning to taste. Serve with grated parmesan cheese if you like, and a thick slice of fresh bread. Makes 4 servings(per serving: 130cals, 7g fat, 13g carbs, 3g protein)

French Onion Soup

This picture was taken right after I pulled two bowls of bubbling soup out from under the oven's broiler and the overpowering scent of onions, toasted homemade bread, and Gruyere was hitting me in the face! It isn't the prettiest soup I've ever made, but it tasted phenomenal. The ingredients are few and simple, with the most expensive ingredient being the Gruyere cheese which must be a splurge because there is no substitute for its flavor!

The recipe is from epicurious.com, labeled a "blue ribbon" recipe which means lots of good ratings! Definitely more comfort food than healthy given the ample cheese and butter, but its flavor is so rich that one bowl will satisfy. The recipe stated that it made 2 servings, but I had at least one full bowl leftover. I used 1/2" slices of homemade wheat bread; too much bread takes away from the soup's silky texture. I didn't know how large a "sprig" of thyme is, so I pulled 2 3" stems from my herb garden, which gave just a hint of thyme flavor.

RECIPE:
1 lb yellow onions (about 4 medium), sliced thin
3-5 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp kosher or sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups beef stock
1 cup water
2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups Swiss Gruyere cheese, grated
crusty bread, sliced 1/2" thick, heavily toasted

Heat a dutch oven or large soup pot over medium. Melt the butter, then add the onions, thyme, bay leaf, and some salt & pepper. Saute for a few minutes, then reduce heat to low and cook onions for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are a caramel color and very soft. Add flour and mix in, then increase heat to medium, add white wine and let bubble for a few minutes. Pour in broth and water, bring to a simmer and cook with the pot covered for 30 minutes. Sprinkle in more salt and pepper to taste. Once the flavor of the soup is to your liking, turn off heat and ladle soup into two oven-proof bowls. Float slices of bread on top and sprinkle on a thick layer of Gruyere on the bread. Place bowls onto a baking dish for stability and broil on the middle rack for 5 minutes until the cheese is browned and bubbly. Let cool before serving, and don't forget the bowls are very hot!

Lentil Squash Soup (Vegan)

I had about 2 cups of leftover trombocino squash (similar to butternut) after making chili over the weekend, and since it is cold outside tonight this soup fit the bill of simple, comforting, hearty, and healthy.

Check out this freaky looking squash from the CSA! The one on the left is the trombocino, and on the right is a type of pumpkin. I succeeded in using both of these monsters up with various recipes - go me!

 

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and adapted it a little based on the ingredients I had on hand. I didn't have fresh ginger or fenugreek seeds (who has those lying around?), substituted green Goya lentils for red, and added sliced baby bella mushrooms. I also used the whole can of coconut milk, because I was too lazy to figure out what to do with the other half can!  Including cooking time, it took about an hour to make.

RECIPE:
2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cup dry lentils (don't forget to rinse and sort thru these like I did! oops)
1 small onion, chopped
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 can light coconut milk
2 cups water
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg
canola oil
salt to taste
cayenne pepper to taste

Add a bit of oil to the bottom of a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Saute garlic, onion, and ginger for a few minutes until the onion is translucent. Add squash, mushrooms lentils, cilantro and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add tomato paste, coconut milk, water, curry, nutmeg, salt, and cayenne. Mix together, crank the heat up to high and bring to a boil briefly. Simmer on low for 30 minutes with the pot uncovered. After 30 minutes, check the lentils to see if they are soft. There should not be much liquid left at this point. If lentils are still crunchy, cover pot and continue simmering until they are done. Taste test and add more seasoning if needed. Serve hot in a bowl sprinkled with fresh cilantro.