Butternut Squash Coconut Soup

Recipe moved to Little Things Are Big click here to link to recipe.

Vegan Asparagus Soup

My dear friend Victoria is not a vegan. Many of the people I love most in the world are not vegan...yet (said with a great deal of hope). Thankfully Victoria loves a culinary challenge. On a recent visit to NM she made us this asparagus soup that is perfect, PERFECT I TELL YOU, for a fall evening. 

Click here for the full recipe!

Tomato Coconut Curry Soup

My husband and I lived in Denver for several years and while there we discovered the local veg restaurant Watercourse. We loved many of their meals, but we ALWAYS had to have their tomato coconut curry soup. When we left Denver I tried everything in my power to get them to share their recipe, but they wouldn't.  So I had to develop my own version. Here is what I came up with and boy-o-boy is it tasty!



2 tsp olive oil
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
1 small carrot, julienned
14.5 oz can crushed fire roasted tomatoes
13.66 oz can unsweetened coconut milk
15 oz can tomato sauce
1/2 c vegetable broth or water
3/4 tsp turmeric
2 tsp curry powder
2 tsp brown sugar
scant pinch of ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt (more if you like)
dash of pepper

1. In a soup pot over medium high heat warm the olive oil
2. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes before adding the carrot.
3. Pour in the tomatoes, coconut milk, tomato sauce, and water or broth. Stir to combine
4. Add everything else and stir to combine.
5. Reduce heat and simmer until the carrot is tender.
Serve hot. I love it with vegan quesadillas (Daiya  vegan cheese melted in between some tortillas--outside rubbed with a touch of vegan margarine and warmed in a skillet).

Soup serves 4-6


~Maria

Potato and Leek Soup with Basil Oil

Recipe moved to Littlethingsarebig.com

How To Make the Best Vegetable Stock

Moved to littlethingsarebig.com

Red Lentil Sweet Potato Stew

Red Lentil Sweet Potato Stew

Lentils are a poor woman's friend. When dining on a vegan budget I have discovered that these little powerhouses are one of my best friends. They offer a ton of nutrition packed into a little tiny legume, with fiber, folate, magnesium, and iron (good for your digestion, good for your heart), and lentils also supply the always-important-to-a-vegan-diet protein--almost 18 grams per cup.

This recipe is super simple, rich and hearty. The key to maximizing flavor is to use a homemade veggie stock, click here for the recipe, and bloom your spices in oil to coax out their flavor. Cooking your spices for a couple of minutes opens up the essential oils. Use this technique for all recipes that call for spices and you will taste a world of difference.

2 extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 Tbsp curry powder
1 diced large onion
1 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 minced cloves garlic
2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger (optional but worth it if you can find it!)
2 peeled and diced sweet potatoes
2 peeled and diced carrots
1 celery stalk diced
1 diced (stemmed, seeded) red bell pepper
1 onion diced
1 1/2 cups rinsed red lentils (you can also use brown or green lentils)
6 cups vegetable stock
6 cups baby spinach or other greens
1 tsp red pepper flakes
Chopped fresh parsley
Chopped avocado

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook cumin, turmeric and curry powder until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Cooking the spices is an important step because it "blooms" the spice and makes them more flavorful. 
2. Add onion, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until tender, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until tender, about 2 minutes. Add sweet potatoes and bell pepper and cook 3 minutes.
3. Add lentils and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, anywhere between 20 minutes and 1 hour. I like to let the soup simmer for a little longer so the lentils are soft and it turns into an almost split-pea-like consistency. Add greens, red pepper flakes, taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Top with parsley and avocado before serving.

{Kate}