Roasted Fennel and Cauliflower Soup

Let me start this by saying that I'm not a big "kid person." I heavily admire people who are parents (seriously, you have the hardest job on this planet!), but I've never wanted to be one myself.  I also work with children and families in my job so I get a pretty good dose of being around kids in my daily life.

And this is precisely why when a friend told me several months ago that I "would make a wonderful mother," I practically laughed in her face. That's nice and thank you, but nope, it's not for me. 

She proceeded to tell me that she was convinced someday I would adopt a child from an orphanage. I continued to argue that ain't ever gonna happen.

This is exactly why this week I had a mental breakdown when I read this blog post by Lindsay at Pinch of Yum.  Lindsay and her husband moved to the Philippines for a year to teach at an orphanage. When I saw the pictures of these kids and read her post yesterday, I literally felt an urge from deep inside of my chest to move there and adopt these children. All I could think was, "oh $*%t, it's happening..."

And so, in order to prevent myself from moving to the Philippines and/or adopting children tonight, I made soup. This may not make a lot of sense, but it seemed like a better choice than hiding in a corner of my kitchen and stuffing my face with cookies from sheer panic.

If you see a cookie recipe posted here tomorrow, please send help.

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Black-Eyed Pea & Collard Greens Soup

This month For The Love of Food had its third-year anniversary. Three years ago I sat in my dark kitchen photographing roasted vegetables under a stove light (with a point-and-shoot!) for a grad school project. Thankfully things have changed a lot over the years.

I just wanted to take a moment to tell you how grateful I am to this incredible blog community created by each and every one of YOU. Thank you for your encouragement, your wisdom, and for learning together these past three years.

Thank you for putting up with way too many cat stories. Thank you for laughing at my jokes and listening to my constant ramblings about how delicious vegetables are. Seriously... 'cause everyone else in my life is sick of it by now.

And for my gratitude, I give you a simple black-eyed pea and collard greens soup.
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Spicy Wakame Chili

I'm currently in the midst of a weird living situation and it includes living with two football fanatics. The television is always blaring sports. There are randoms screams and bouts of profanity blaring from the living room at all hours. And I have committed the football schedule to heart so I know exactly when I should be out of the house. Come Super Bowl Sunday you can find me at the spa, thank you very much.

When I made this chili this week it was not with the intention of serving it at a pre-game party, but I think this recipe will nourish you regardless of what you have in store this weekend. And, I'm really excited to share this recipe with you because this chili has a special ingredient.  Can you guess what it is?  I suppose judging from the title you might say wakame, and you would be correct!

If you are not already familiar with wakame, it's definitely time to get this sea vegetable on your radar. Wakame is a seaweed loaded with magnesium, iron, calcium, iodine, folate, and a host of vitamins. I've mentioned before that I can't stand the smell of the ocean or anything that tastes "fishy," but I have become an expert at hiding sea vegetables in foods.

I always add kombu (edible kelp) to my beans while cooking (to help soften them and add trace minerals) and I can't get enough of this gingered sea vegetable salad with arame. I've recently begun to sneak wakame into my vegetable stocks and soups and I promise that with this recipe, you won't even know it's in there!

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How To Make Perfect Vegetable Stock (for cheap!)

A few months ago I stumbled upon a little secret that I’ve been dying to share with you. Are you ready? Here goes…

Making vegetable stock is one of the easiest and cheapest things you can do to add flavor to your meals while reducing kitchen waste.  

Are you ready to get started? It’s super simple and today I’m going to show you how. Vegetable stock is made by boiling water with vegetables. The common vegetables used in making stock are celery, carrots, onions, mushrooms, and potatoes, along with a host of other veggies that all add their own unique flavor. Since several of these vegetables are on the dirty dozen list, I highly recommend using organic produce for making stock (and in your kitchen in general).

One of the thrifty tricks I discovered is that instead of using whole pieces of produce, you can easily save vegetable scraps in your freezer and turn them into flavorful vegetable stock! This might include the skins or unused pieces of onions, potato or carrot peels, or the tips of leeks and celery. If you have any produce that you know you won't be able to use up (unless it's a member of the cruciferous family - more on this in a minute!), you can always add this to your freezer scrap pile for stock. This saves you money and allows you to use up produce that would have otherwise gone into the compost bin!

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Spicy Kimchi Soup

I like to make myself promises when I move. Promises like: Hey Sonnet, if you take this box of beads with you, you'd better make some earrings soon. Or, if you pack this book, you better promise to read it. Truth be told, that book is still unread and that box of beads is still taped shut from my last move, but I'm taking it with me anyways. 

But, I made myself a big promise when I moved a few months ago. I had a giant jar of homemade kimchi in my fridge and I told myself that I would eat it all before my next move - or else! Since my next move came up a little sooner than expected and I hadn't quite worked through that jar of kimchi yet I found myself in a panic this week. What could I possibly do with three pounds of kimchi? 

The solution... make soup of course! Making this soup was an experiment and I knew it could go one of two ways: it would either be a great success or a total failure. Lucky for both of us it turned out to be a success and is now one of my favorite soups of all time.

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My Favorite Fall Soups

Ah, soup weather.  There is nothing like the first really cold, grey, rainy week in Seattle to get you in the mood for soup weather.  During this time of year, I swear that Whole Foods must make a killing on their hot soup bar.  But you, my friend, are lucky.  You do not need to venture anywhere outside of your kitchen in search of the perfect hot soup because I am sharing my favorite fall recipes with you.  So get ready, grab some onions and garlic, and let's make soup! 

Apples and squash.  Is there a more perfect combination for a fall soup?  I think not. This Acorn Squash Apple Soup (pictured above) is a quick and easy soup to please everyone.  Feed it to your significant other, your friends, your kids, your third cousin, and your grandma. I swear you'll never hear a single complaint. 

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Creamy Fennel & Broccoli Soup

I can usually tell when life starts to feel a bit hectic and unpredictable because I start craving soup.  Soup was the first thing I ever learned how to cook and it has been a longtime standby in my kitchen.  It doesn't matter if it is the middle of summer... soup can be an incredible comfort food any time of the year.  

This soup is decadently creamy, which comes from blending raw cashews.  With the healthy fats and protein from the nuts, it doesn't take much to make this a full meal.  Just add your favorite summer salad (of course, I highly recommend this one) and maybe a good loaf of bread.  And if you don't share my warm soup craving in the middle of July, just know this can be served cold instead of warm.  

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Creamy Mushroom Soup

I think I'm having an identity crisis. Instead of dreaming about kale I've been thinking about cupcakes.  Instead of listening to Sara Bareilles or Jack Johnson I've been rocking out to Katy Perry. And instead of sporting my usual casual jeans and a plaid shirt I find myself wearing... skinny jeans and a blazer? Something is definitely wrong with this picture.

My recent Pinterest obsession has made a me a much more stylish and fashionable person.  And surprisingly, I'm enjoying it.  Yesterday I found myself wondering why I don't always dress this way.  And then I quickly discovered the reason as I tried to harvest compost from my worm bin this morning in skinny jeans and a blazer... In case you haven't already learned this lesson, that is a truly, truly bad idea.  
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Mushroom, Barley, and Black Eyed Pea Soup

It takes a lot of time and love to prepare meals for others.  Are there any primary meal makers out there? This is a shout out to you.  So much of our heart and soul goes into making and preparing food that our loved ones eat.  So much of our lives go into everything that we make.

So, loved ones, a little request... please, say thank you.  Thanks.  Relish each meal as the gift that it is.  And respect it.  Even if it has mushrooms.

See, mushrooms are a dividing issue in our house.  I'm going to assume that they might be in yours as well.  But, this soup is a game changer.  This soup just might be the thing to win the mushroom battle and finally get that well-deserved... thank you.

Dinner is served.  You are welcome.

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Creamy Broccoli & Kale Soup

Our bodies are really good at telling us when we need to slow down.  It seems to me that our minds that are the problem... always thinking about what's next, planning our to-do list, or scheming about some big project.  

This week my body has been telling me that it's time to slooow down.  I've definitely been pushing myself hard the last six weeks and after waking up with the beginning of a cold, I am finally listening to what my body needs.  My body wants more sleep, more time for relaxing, and a really good dinner.  What does your body want?

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Spicy Peanut and Sweet Potato Soup

I am not the person that you should ask about fashion advice.  My idea of a good outfit involves jeans and a comfy grey sweater from the men's department at Old Navy.  And my "purse"?  Oh, do you mean this reusable Trader Joe's grocery bag?

I am not the person that you should ask about relationship advice.  My most recent Saturday nights have been spent reading about business licenses, cleaning the kitchen, and surfing Pinterest.  That's what a long-term relationship will do to you.

I am not the person that you should ask about pet care advice.  I recently shelled out close to a grand to find out that my cat sneezing blood for fifteen minutes was indeed... just a bloody nose.

I am not the person that you should ask about video games, Star Wars, or sports.  In fact, please don't talk to me about these things at all...  thanks.

But dinner advice?  Yes, please ask. 

And if you do ask, I just might recommend this soup.

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Parsnip, Leek, and Sweet Potato Soup

You know that you had a good weekend when you look around your home on Sunday night and see laundry still piled up, dirty dishes waiting in the sink, and a crowded inbox of unread emails.  This is a good sign.  It means that you had better things to do and bigger things to worry about than taking care of chores.  

In my case, I spent the weekend entranced with the first season of Lost.  As you can tell, I definitely had bigger things to worry about than laundry.  I mean, what the heck is happening on this crazy island?  And how did I not know that this show existed until two days ago?!  

Sure I might have had better things to do than laundry, but I still managed to make to the farmers market and survive my second hot yoga class (more on that subject another time).  I fell in love with some beautiful parsnips and leeks at the market and promptly came home and pureed up this soup for Sunday brunch.  My secret to pureed soups is that I always add some beans in for extra protein.  This soup was perfect served alongside a hearty salad with some green onions, sea salt, and crushed peppercorns for a garnish.  I even discovered that a few extra green onions in a small vase make the perfect colorful table accent.

How was your weekend?

Parsnip, Leek, and Sweet Potato Soup

Serves 2 - 4

1 Tbs olive oil

2 leeks, ends removed and chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1.5 cups Great Northern beans (or any white beans)

2 medium-large parsnips, chopped

1 medium sweet potato, chopped

6 cups vegetable broth

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried sage

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

green onions for garnish

Add oil to a large pot over medium heat.  Sauté leeks for three minutes.  Add garlic and sauté for an additional minute.  Add the beans, parsnips, sweet potato, broth, thyme, sage, and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil and then simmer, covered, about 30 minutes until vegetables are soft.  

Remove the bay leaf. Blend the soup by using an immersion blender or transfering it to a regular blender. (If using a regular blender, be very careful as the steam can sometimes cause the lid to blow off.  I recommend allowing the soup to cool for a few minutes, then blending small batches on medium speed while holding the lid down with a large pot holder or towel in my hand).  Serve hot, with salt and pepper to taste, and green onions for garnish.  

Tofu Pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup)

So you burned your fingers making lasagna. No big deal.

The lasagna is finally done cooking. ...and it's the worst thing ever. No worries. Just breathe.

You cat has just decided that now would be the perfect time to run across the counter and get cat hair in your worst-lasagna-ever. Just breathe.

He also knocked over your water glass in the process and spilled it across your laptop. Breathe.

The computer still works. Count your lucky stars. Remind yourself to never again leave it near a glass of water. And breathe.

I know you've been here. I know you've stood in this exact spot in your kitchen looking at a dinner failure and wondering what the heck to do now.  Lucky for you it's time to reboot and make this yummy pho instead. Things are about to get better, promise.
 
Pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup that is full of flavor and, in this version, veggies! It is typically accompanied by Thai basil, lime wedges, mung bean sprouts, and chili peppers for an extra punch. I love making it in the winter because it's hot and satisfying as well as a great one-bowl meal.

Now, let's get to it. Gather these yummy ingredients and get ready to make a rich, flavorful broth.  Leave them to simmer for a bit.  Now you're off to better things. 



Like tofu!  We're gonna cube this up, toss with a little oil, and bake until just crispy on the outside.  Yum.  That's heaven right there.

Alright, time for those rice noodles.  Get 'em out.  Get 'em soaking. 

 

We're almost there now.  Steam some veggies.  Assemble it all.  Top with your favorite garnishes... and breathe.  You just made pho. 
 

This recipe serves two, but you can definitely double or triple it to serve more.  I like to make a big pot of the broth over the weekend so it's ready for quick weeknight dinners.  In my broth I used Bragg's Liquid Aminos instead of soy sauce because it's gluten-free.  If you are not concerned about gluten, feel free to use soy sauce instead.  And if you are avoiding soy, this soup can easily be made without the soy sauce and tofu. 

Tofu Pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup)
Adapted from The Kitchn
Serves 2

Broth
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
1 large yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 green onions, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, sliced
2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
4 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
4 cups (unsalted) vegetable stock
1 Tablespoon Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)

Other Ingredients
1/2 block tofu, cut into cubes
2 Tablespoons coconut oil (or another oil suitable for medium-high heat cooking)
1/2 pound dried, flat rice noodles
1.5 cups broccoli, chopped
2 heads of baby bok choy, chopped
1/4 cup snow peas, chopped

For serving, optional
1 lime, cut into wedges
2 large sprigs of Thai basil
1 jalapeño, sliced
1 cup fresh mung bean sprouts
sprinkle of red chile pepper flakes


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pot over medium heat, dry roast cinnamon stick and star anise for one minute.  Add the onions, garlic, ginger, and carrots. Saute for about 5 minutes, until frangrant, stirring to prevent sticking.  Add the stock and Liquid Aminos.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.  Strain and keep hot until ready to serve.

Toss tofu with oil and lay flat on sheet pan.  Bake for about 30 minutes, flipping every 10 minutes, until tofu is crispy on the outside.  Set aside. 

Place noodles in a large bowl.  Cover with hot water and soak for about 8 minutes.  (The soaking time depends on the width of your noodles.  I used 1/16" noodles which require little soaking time.)  The noodles should be firm, but not hard.  Drain and set aside. 

While broth is simmering, tofu is baking, and noodles are soaking, lightly steam your veggies for 5 minutes.  They should be bright green and crisp, but not tough.

Assemble:  divide noodles, tofu, and vegetables into two bowls.  Top with broth.  Serve lime, basil, peppers, mung beans, and red pepper flakes on the side and add into your soup, if desired.

Corn and Potato Soup

They say that life is what happens when you are busy making other plans. So true.

Life is what happens when you are busy loving and worrying about those around you - your family, your friends, your cats, your neighbor's cats. Life is what happens when you are busy worrying about worrying.

Life is what happens when you are busy making corn and potato soup. Standing in your kitchen, recovering from a long day, and watching the last few bits of daylight fade away.

Life is what happens when you have to take photographs in the middle of your driveway because that is the best spot for natural light this time of year.  Life is what happens when you almost get run over by your neighbor because they don't expect you to be standing in the driveway at twilight. 

Life is also what happens when you can't eat the bread featured in your own photograph because you're embracing gluten-free-dom.  Such is life, but it's a pretty good one.

Corn and Potato Soup
Serves 4

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 medium red potatoes, chopped
1 Tbs tsp cumin
1/4 tsp ground red chili pepper
7 cups broth
2 lbs frozen corn kernels
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Add olive oil and onion to a pot over medium heat.  Saute for 5 minutes, until translucent.  Add the potatoes, cumin, red chili pepper, and broth and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, lower heat and let simmer for 15 minutes, until potatoes are just tender.  Add the frozen corn and cilantro.  Simmer for an additional five minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Fall Celeriac Soup

Two years ago I went on a 5-day silent meditation retreat just before Thanksgiving.  It was the first time I had practiced meditating or taken a vow of silence.  I instantly fell in love with the practice.  Even though the five quiet days felt like an eternity, it was the break from the world that I really needed at that time. 

I promised myself that when I got back home from the retreat, I would continue to practice meditation and find quiet solitude at home.  But, as normal life resumed, my hopes of daily meditation fleeted.  I made a meditation alter, but only sat in front of it once.  I never bought that meditation bench.  And I came up with constant excuses for why I couldn't "find the time" to meditate at home.

Then the next year rolled around and I told myself I was going on the retreat again.  I was going to strengthen my meditation practice and bring it home with me this time.  No excuses.

However, I couldn't find that peaceful meditation on that retreat.  It was probably due to the fact that I was in the middle of a very stressful job transition and spent most of the time at the center on my iPhone answering emails.  Even though I knew phones weren't allowed at the center, I hoped that by getting work done it would alleviate my stress and allow me to focus.  No surprises here, but all it did was cause more stress.



This year I have decided not to go on the retreat. This has been a tough decision and I've waffled back and forth, but I finally realized that if I really want to find quiet time in my life I have to do it at home. It's easy to go away somewhere else and feel relaxed and at peace, but it's much harder to create that same peace in everyday life.

Of course the first place that I'm turning to in my life for inspiration is cooking.  Being at home in my kitchen is one of the best parts of my life daily and I've decided to use it as a space for quiet time and reflection.  My plan is to begin by cleaning and organizing my kitchen to make the space even more inviting and relaxing.  Then I'm going to make soup. 





I'm sure you've heard me rave about my love for soup by now because it's so easy to make. I've already been enjoying coconut squash soup and acorn squash apple soup this season, but I have become so infatuated with celeriac that I declided it needed to have a soup of its own.

Do you cook with celeriac in your kitchen?  Celeriac is also called celery root and usually starts popping up at the market in fall.  It looks like a golden brown root ball and somehow reminds me of the mandrakes from Harry Potter. 

Celeriac has a sweet and delicate celery-like flavor that is perfect in soups, salads, and stirfries. The smaller the celeriac, the more flavorful it will be because it tends to taste woodier as it grows bigger. To prepare it, wash and scrub the skin and then cut the outer layer away using a paring knife. It can be eaten raw or cooked and I particularly like it shredded and added to raw salads or roasted with other root vegetables.

This soup has a sweet, delicate flavor with hints of celeriac, leek, and fennel.  I recommend topping it off with fresh lemon zest, red chili pepper flakes, and a drizzle of olive oil.  This soup will not only keep you warm during these chilly fall days, but hopefully it will inspire more peace and quiet time in your life too. 

Fall Celeriac Soup
Serves 4 - 6

1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 medium leeks, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried sage

3 garlic cloves

2 medium celery roots (or 3 small), skinned and chopped

1 fennel bulb, chopped
2 cups (cooked) garbanzo beans
2 bay leaves
6 cups vegetable broth
zest from 1 lemon
red chili pepper flakes
olive oil for drizzling

Add olive oil to large pot over medium heat. Saute the leek in olive oil for several minutes, until fragrant. Add the thyme, sage, and garlic and sauté for an additional minute. Add the celeriac, fennel, beans, and bay leaves.  Add enough vegetable broth to cover vegetables with liquid (about 6 cups) and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, turn the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the celeriac and fennel are tender. 

Remove the bay leaves. Next, blend the soup by using an immersion blender or transferring it to a regular blender. Add more broth or water, if needed. (If using a regular blender, be very careful as the steam can sometimes cause the lid to blow off.  I recommend allowing the soup to cool for a few minutes, then blending small batches on medium speed while holding the lid down with a pot holder or towel in hand.) 

Serve hot and top with lemon zest, red chili pepper flakes, and olive oil before serving.

Coconut Lentil Curry

I feel like I'm finally getting the hang of fall.  All of my cozy sweaters and fuzzy socks have been pulled out from storage.  I'm lighting more candles, going to bed earlier, and using my oven every day.  I'm also creating more breathing room in my life and attempting to carve out some quiet time just for me. 

These past couple of months I've found myself moving in a million different directions with various projects and commitments in my life.  It's definitely time for me to slow down, reflect, and reevaluate my priorities.  My hope is to use these next two months to refocus my energy so I can start the New Year refreshed and ready to bring new opportunities into my life.  Are you with me?



There's nothing better to renew your energy or celebrate the season than lentil curry with coconut milk. This can be served over rice or on its own. I really like to serve it with warm bread for dipping. This recipe involves very little prep time, so it's perfect for a quick weeknight meal when all you want to do is cozy up in your fall sweater, light some candles, and enjoy a quiet dinner with yourself.


Coconut Lentil Curry
Serves 4
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoon curry powder
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
2 carrots, diced
2.5 cups vegetable broth
1/2 can of coconut milk (about 1 cup)
1 cup green lentils
dash of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Add the olive oil to a pot over medium heat.  Add the yellow onion and sauté for five minutes, until translucent. Add the cumin, curry powder, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, garlic, ginger, and carrots and sauté for an additional 2 minutes.  Add the vegetable broth, coconut milk, lentils, and cayenne pepper and bring to a boil.  Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. (If too much of the liquid has evaporated, you can add more vegetable broth or water). Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves.  Add salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.

Coconut Squash Soup

What do you do as soon as you get home from a five-day business trip in New Mexico? You make butternut squash soup.  Why? Because all you have at home when you arrive is a butternut squash and a can of coconut milk. And because the thought of another meal including rice and beans makes you shudder.  

So, you chop up some squash, pop it in the oven, pet your cat, and unpack.  Then you throw the squash in a pot and purée. Before you can even adjust back to Pacific time, you will find your dinner ready for you, along with grey skies and a rainy afternoon.  It's good to be home.

Coconut Squash Soup

Serves 4 - 6

1 medium butternut squash, skin removed and chopped into 1-inch squares

3 Tablespoons coconut oil, divided

1 medium onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, chopped 

1 1/2 cups cooked garbanzo beans (optional)

5 cups vegetable broth (or more as needed)

1/2 can of coconut milk (about 1 cup)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Rub squash with about 2 tablespoons of coconut oil.  Roast for about 35 minutes, until tender (but not mushy). Check on the squash every ten minutes and flip the pieces so that the sides are evenly roasted.  Remove from oven and set aside. 

Add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil to a medium pot over medium heat.  Sauté the onion for 5 minutes until translucent.  Add the garlic and sauté for an additional minute.  Add the roasted squash, garbanzo beans vegetable broth, and coconut milk.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  

Next, blend the soup by using an immersion blender or transfering it to a regular blender. (If using a regular blender, be very careful as the steam can sometimes cause the lid to blow off.  I recommend allowing the soup to cool for a few minutes, then blending small batches on medium speed while holding the lid down with a large pot holder or towel in my hand).  Serve hot, with salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with a spoonful of coconut milk.  

Acorn Squash Apple Soup

Do you ever have days where you feel your phone vibrating in your pocket... but it's totally not?  Days where you swear it's Friday, but it's actually Tuesday.  Or Wednesday.  I forget.  Days where your keys are definitely not where you left them, your schedule is jam-packed with a million little things, you have to make it to the airport by 5 pm in rush-hour traffic, and all you want to do is crawl. back. in. bed.

Did you know that acorn squash apple soup fixes these things?

Yep, it totally does.  This soup makes your phone behave, your brain get back on track, does your laundry, feeds your cat, and it even takes out the compost. 

Okay, maybe not.  But it does ease a growling stomach. Some days that's enough for me to be thankful for.

This soup makes me wish it was fall every day of the year.  I love eating this with crusty rosemary bread white watching the leaves scatter outside the window.  It's a little bowl of bliss in this sometimes crazy, chaotic life that I happen to love.

Acorn Squash Apple Soup
Serves 4 - 6

1 acorn squash
2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, diced
1 large apple, diced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups cooked garbanzo beans
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage

4 cups vegetable broth

2 cups apple juice

Freshly-ground salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cut squash in half, rub with a little oil, and place on sheet pan cut side down.  Roast for 30 minutes, or until insides are tender.  

Remove from oven and allow to cool.  Scoop out insides of squash and set aside. 

Add oil to a pot over medium heat.  Sauté the onion and apple for about 5 minutes.  Add ginger and garlic and sauté for an additional minute.  Add garbanzo beans, squash, thyme, and sage.  Cover with vegetable broth and apple juice and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce heat, cover, and cook until vegetables are soft, about 15 - 20 minutes.

Next, blend the soup by using an immersion blender or transfering it to a regular blender. (If using a regular blender, be very careful as the steam can sometimes cause the lid to blow off.  I recommend allowing the soup to cool for a few minutes, then blending small batches on medium speed while holding the lid down with a large pot holder or towel in my hand).  Serve hot, with salt and pepper to taste.  

Miso Soup with Vegetables

I don't know what the season is like where you live, but here in Seattle fall has definitely arrived.  There is that indistinguishable chill in the air, yellow leaves are strewn across the yard, and I woke up this morning with a cold.  My body is apparently not holding up with the change of seasons (and busy schedule!) as well as I would like.

Today, say no to your to-do list.  Instead, say yes to fuzzy socks, lying on the couch, a warm cup of tea (or this if you're feeling like me), and being present while eating miso soup.  

This soup is easy-to-make and combines the medicinal benefits of sea vegetables and miso.  Since miso is a living food, boiling it will destroy its beneficial enzymes, which is why the recipe calls for adding it in at the very end.  This recipe calls for wakame, which is a thin piece of seaweed that can be found fresh or dried.  It's different from nori (the dry, brittle sheets of seaweed used for sushi rolls), but you could also substitute nori if that's what you have on hand. I also added in ginger, mushrooms, and cilantro for extra flavor.  This is the perfect soup to battle a cold, fill a hungry belly, or warm you up at the end of a chilly fall day. 

Miso Soup with Vegetables
Adapted from Clean Food: A Seasonal Guide to Eating Close to the Source by Terry Walters.
Serves 4

6 cups water
3 carrots, sliced thinly into matchsticks 
12 ounces extra firm silken tofu, diced

4 fresh shiitake mushrooms

2 Tablespoons fresh chopped ginger to taste

3 inch strip wakame, broken into small pieces
dash of tamari or shoyu
1/4 cup miso

4 green onion, chopped

Fresh cilantro leaves 
In large pot over high heat bring water to boil. Add carrots, tofu, mushrooms, ginger, wakami, and tamari, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

In separate bowl, dissolve miso in 1/3 cup water. Ladle soup into individual bowls and stir 1 generous tablespoon of dissolved miso into each serving. Top with chopped scallions and cilantro and serve.

Raw Cucumber Wasabi Soup

Here are five things that you should never do.  Ready?  Take notes.

#1: Never ride 50 miles on your bike while your brakes are messed up and the brake pads are clamping down on your wheel.  It's not great for your bike, but more importantly... it just plain sucks.

#2: Never hang one of those gross sticky fly strips if you have a cat.  Never.  Because you should always assume that your cat will be the first thing stuck to it. True story.

#3: Never have a glass of wine when you have a very light lunch, a light dinner, and have work to do in the garden.  Well, actually, I suppose that you could do that... Just make sure to pay attention to where your feet are in relation to the garden hose.  Otherwise the next thing you know you'll be tripping over your own feet and find yourself lying on the ground crushing a kale plant.  Safety first people!

#4: Never open your container of roasted broccoli at work and begin eating it at 9:30 am. Who does that anyway?! Apparently I do. Since this is not typical human behavior, your co-workers will not be expecting the smell of roasted cruciferous vegetables first thing in the morning. Naturally, it will lead them to think that there is a gas leak in the building. Then you will have to explain that it's just you and your odd eating behavior. No joke. But, should you find yourself in this situation, you just have to own it.  Otherwise they'll call the fire department.

#5: You should never operate your Vitamix blender without the pad thingy on the base. Come on now, you should know this one! It even says right on there: "Never place blade assembly on base unless assembled to container." Why would you do that?  Now you have to buy a replacement blender part. Lesson learned.

I'm hoping that you didn't damage your blender like I did this week because you really need to make this soup.  Raw soups are one of my favorite things to make because they're delicious, healthy, and super quick to prepare.  And since this only requires a blender, you can spend more time searching for replacement blender parts and less time cleaning dishes.

I've found that a lot of cold cucumber soups can taste a little watery or bland at times.  The green onions and wasabi powder in this version give it a little kick of flavor and some heat which balances out nicely with the cooling properties of the cucumber.  Serve this with some raw flax seed crackers or some raw zucchini "sushi" rolls.

Raw Cucumber Wasabi Soup
Serves 2

2 cucumbers
1 avocado, skinned and pitted
1 cup water
2 green onions
1 teaspoon dill
1/2 teaspoon wasabi powder
1/4 cup cilantro
freshly-ground sea salt and black pepper to taste

Add the cucumbers, avocado, water, and green onions to your blender.  (You might have to chop these items ahead of time depending on the strength of your blender and blades.)  Blend thoroughly, adding a little more water if necessary.  Add the dill, wasabi powder, cilantro, and sea salt to taste.  Blend thoroughly until smooth.  Chill in the refridgerator until serving and top with a little black pepper if desired.