How It All Vegan!: Irresistible Recipes for an Animal-Free Diet (11 page)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 12-oz can crushed tomatoes
or

2-4 fresh tomatoes, diced + ¼ cup water

2 cups vegetable stock
or
water

1 tbsp sweetener

½ cup soft
or
silken tofu or soy milk

2 medium fresh tomatoes, diced (garnish)

In a large soup pot, sauté the onions, garlic , salt, dill, and pepper in oil on medium heat until onions are translucent. Add the tomatoes, stock, and sweetener. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. In a blender or food processor, blend tofu and 1½ cups of broth until smooth. Add to soup pot and stir in freshly diced tomatoes. Makes 4-6 servings.

HEARTY WINTER POTATO SOUP

Potatoes are highly nutritious, an excellent source of Vitamins B and C as well as minerals like magnesium and iron. Potatoes are also known to be one of the best sources of complex carbohydrates, noted for having a calming effect on the body and mind. This soup is most excellent for that winter funk.
Tip on storing potatoes: cover them with a dark sheet or cloth and store them in a cool, dark, dry place. This prevents light from penetrating the potatoes and causing them to turn green and sprout.

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

4-6 mushrooms, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

4-5 medium potatoes, cubed

3 cups vegetable stock
or
water

1 red pepper, sliced

pinch of red pepper flakes

½ tsp coriander

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp dried basil

¼ tsp pepper

2 tsp Braggs
or
soy sauce

1 cups soy milk

2 green onions, sliced (garnish)

croutons
(garnish)

In a large soup pot, sauté the onions, garlic, and mushrooms in oil on medium heat until onions become translucent. Add the potatoes, stock, red pepper, red pepper flakes, coriander, cumin, basil, pepper, and Braggs. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer on low heat for 10-20 minutes until potatoes are tender. Remove 2 ladles’ worth of vegetables and blend in blender or food processor with milk until smooth. Add the mixture back to the soup and simmer for 5 more minutes. Do not boil or it will burn! Garnish with green onions and serve with croutons. Makes 4-6 servings.

AUNTIE BONNIE’S CURRIED APPLE SOUP

My Auntie Bonnie can make a wicked soup out of almost any ingredient.

1 large onion, chopped

1 apple, peeled and chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp curry powder

3-4 cups vegetable broth
or
water

2 cups “Anything Goes” vegetables, diced

(e.g., zucchini, asparagus, broccoli)

¼ cup rice

salt (to taste)

pepper (to taste)

In a medium pot, sauté the onions and apple in oil on medium heat until onions become translucent. Sprinkle with curry powder; stir well. Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Add the vegetables, rice, salt, and pepper; cover and simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes, until rice and vegetables are tender. In a blender or food processor, blend ½ or all of soup until smooth; return to pot and reheat. Makes 4-6 servings.

SIMPLY LOVELY CARROT SOUP

Use well-washed, unpeeled organic carrots in this recipe. The peel is where most of the nutrients reside, such as carotene (which the body converts into vitamin A), fiber, and calcium. It also makes this soup taste sweeter and more flavourful.

1 small onion, chopped

6-8 large carrots, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

4 cups vegetable stock
or
water

1 tsp salt

1 cup soy milk

1 tsp dried dill (
or
1 tbsp fresh dill)

1 tbsp Braggs or soy sauce

½ tsp pepper

In a large soup pot, sauté the onions and carrots in oil on medium heat until the onions become translucent. Add the stock and salt and simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes, until carrots are tender. Remove half of the vegetables and blend in a blender or food processor with the milk, dill, Braggs, and pepper, and a small amount of cooking broth until smooth. Return mixture to the pot, mix well, and serve immediately. Makes 4-6 servings.

TORTILLA CHIP SOUP

This soup is deceptively simple. But it’s amazing with crumbled tortilla chips and avocado slices!

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

3 cups vegetable stock
or
water

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
or

5-8 fresh tomatoes, diced + ¼ cup water

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp chili powder

tortilla chips, crushed (garnish)

avocado slices (garnish)

In a large soup pot, sauté the onions and garlic in oil on medium heat until onions are translucent. Add the stock, tomatoes, paste, jalapenos, cumin, and chili powder. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Garnish with crushed chips and avocado slices. Makes 4-6 servings.

MOMMA SARAH’S MATZO BALL SOUP

Matzo balls can be made before-hand and refrigerated for use later. Just remember not to warm up the matzo balls in your broth; use a separate pot of warm water, and then add them to the soup bowl just before serving. You can use matzo balls in all sorts of different soups. This simple broth is my favourite. It reminds me of the soup my dad used to make me whenever I had a cold. This recipe has been adapted for all of us vegan Jews.

Simple Broth:

2 medium carrots, chopped

splash of olive oil

4 cups vegetable stock

3 stalks green onions, chopped
*

½ cup peas
*

In a medium pot, sauté the carrots in a splash of oil for 5-8 minutes on medium heat until tender. Add the stock, onions, and peas and simmer for another 5 minutes. Portion out into bowls and then add your matzo balls. Makes 2 servings.

*
You can add any other vegetables you like to this broth. When I make this when I’m ill, I like to keep it simple.

Matzo Balls:

½ cup matzo meal

2 tbsp potato starch

1 tsp salt

cup vegetable stock or water

In a medium bowl, stir together the matzo meal, starch and salt. Add the stock and stir together well. Cover bowl and place in refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. Once chilled, roll about 1 tablespoon of dough into a ball. Set aside and repeat until all the dough is gone. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a brisk boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, drop balls into water, and boil gently for 20 minutes, making sure they don’t stick together. Keep an eye on them, because if the water boils too vigorously the balls will fall apart. A good indication that they are done is when they float to the top of the pot. Makes 10-12 balls.

Have broth ready in bowls. Remove matzo balls with a slotted spoon and place in broth.

BUTTERNUT TOMATO SOUP

Autumn captured in a soup. Butternut squash, a variety of winter squash, is spectacular in soups.

4-6 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

1 medium butternut squash, peeled & cubed

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup vegetable stock or water

1 28-oz can of diced tomatoes
or

5-8 fresh tomatoes, diced + ¼ cup water

salt (to taste)

pepper (to taste)

1 cup soy milk

croutons
(garnish)

2-3 stalks green onions, chopped (garnish)

In a large soup pot, sauté the garlic, ginger, and squash in oil on low-medium heat until the garlic is softened. Add the stock, tomatoes, and salt, and pepper. Simmer on medium heat, stirring frequently, for 15-20 minutes or until squash can be pierced easily with a fork. Blend half of the vegetables with the milk in a blender or food processor. Return to soup and simmer 5 minutes more. Garnish with croutons and green onions. Makes 4-6 servings.

GARDEN VEGETABLE BORSCHT

This bright, eye-catching soup is bursting with fresh vegetable goodness.

1 small red onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 large carrots, chopped

2-4 medium beets, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1 cup cabbage, chopped

1 cup spinach, chopped

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
or