Granted, that’s not the most appetizing of names, but this IS a super yummy soup–perfect for the cooler weather, and really, really easy to make so it’s perfect to whip up when, well, you’re getting the sniffles! As a bonus, this hearty vegan stew is made from ingredients I always have on hand in the pantry, so it’s quite convenient.

2 cups broth (I like Pacific Brand)
1 can diced tomatoes (I prefer Eden because it’s BPA free)
generous 1/3 cup sunbutter (or almond butter or PB)
1/4 cup diced uncrystallized ginger, or 1 tsp minced ginger
1 Tablespoon garam masala or chili powder
squeeze of lemon
pinch of salt, to taste
Handful of steamed chopped kale, 1 head of steamed broccoli, or thawed broccoli florets
1 can garbanzo beans, drained (Eden foods)

Simmer the broth, tomatoes, sunbutter, ginger and spice on low for 30 min to allow flavors to meld. Stir occasionally. Steam kale, broccoli, etc. Add veggies to the stew, and add drained garbanzo beans. Simmer a minute or two more, add salt and pepper as desired, and enjoy!

©2012 Gluten Free Goodness. All Rights Reserved.

Gardening is such a joy.  I don’t always get a lot of food or exercise out of it, per se, but it’s so delightful to spy a growing watermelon, a new flower budding, my first artichoke–oh!  my babies.  The butterflies, the birds, the bunnies and the toads all keep me company is such a delightful way.

This year has been such a mix.  It was way too hot, and it coincided with a time I wasn’t feeling well so I wasn’t getting up early and so, sad to say, my plants got a bit parched.  So I’ve got great kale, tomatoes and herbs, but some of the tomato plants are looking very unhappy, and none have had a good year.  However, one set of pumpkins are coming along, so fingers crossed.

Oh yeah…I mentioned a lentil stew.  I had a cavity filled and my poor mouth hurt.  As I stared at my garden harvest, my brain went to soft foods and I immediately opted for a lentil stew.  And it was so glorious that almost everything (the kale, the tomatoes, the carrots, the garlic, the parsley, and the thyme) was lovingly grown in my garden.

1/2 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
a big handful kale, blanched, or spinach and skip the blanching
a couple of potatoes
5 cups broth
1 cup dried lentils
2 bay leaves
2 springs thyme or lemon thyme
2 carrots, chopped
a handful of tomatoes, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Saute the onions for a few minutes and then saute the garlic a minute more. Add the broth, blanched kale, lentils, bay leaves, thyme, carrots, potatoes and tomatoes. Let simmer until the potato is tender, then add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the parsley at the end and enjoy.

©2012 Gluten Free Goodness. All Rights Reserved.

And, of course, it’s allergy friendly and vegan.

I use blended young coconut meat and broth, I’m sure you could replace some of the broth with coconut milk. This is a very basic recipe that is totally open to artistic expression! Add in a dash of cayenne or other spices to taste.

1 chopped onion
1-2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 cup red lentils
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon garam masala (or 2 tsps for milder version)
most of carton (3-4 cups) broth (I enjoy Pacific foods)
meat of a young coconut blended with the broth
salt to taste

Saute onion in oil until translucent. Add in the curry/garam masala, stir for a minute then add in lentils. Add broth/coconut blend and let it simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils are well cooked. Add salt to taste.

And that’s it. Serve with roasted cauliflower, purr.

©2012 Gluten Free Goodness. All Rights Reserved.

I must admit that putting lettuce in soup was a random inspiration and it works oddly well. Try it before you rule it out! The amounts of onion and lettuce totally depend on whether I’m in the mood for a broth-y soup or a heartier soup. You really can’t go wrong.

3-4 cups good quality broth or stock
1 inch of fresh ginger, cut into 1/8 inch slices
1/2 medium onion, cut into 1/8 inch ribbons
1 head romaine lettuce heart, coarsely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring broth to a boil, add in ginger and onions and simmer 35-40 min or until onions are tender. Add in lettuce and cook until wilted and dark green, 7-8 more minutes. Remove ginger chunks (unless you are VERY brave!), adjust salt and pepper and enjoy! 

I’m serving up this soup for Weekend Herb Blogging, as originated by Kalyn of Kalyn’s Kitchen. Haalo is currently the WHB “mom” and our host this week is Pam from The Backyard Pizzarea.  Pam’s photos are lovely!

©2012 Gluten Free Goodness. All Rights Reserved.

This is one of those “un-recipe” recipes. Every time I’ve done it it’s been great, and each time is slightly different, depending on what I have on hand and my mood. You can use different nuts. I like brazil nuts and almonds, too. When I have some, I add in a clove or two of roasted garlic, and it works well. I try to put aside some of my herb-y roasted peppers (if I can manage not to eat them all!!), but canned marinated peppers work, too.

The soup is creamy and satisfying and best of all it’s quick and easy to make!

1 cup roasted peppers
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 cup broth
a squirt or two of agave
1/2 teaspoon of chili powder (if your peppers are not already marinated or seasoned)
pinch of sea salt
black pepper, to taste
pinch cayenne
sprig of thyme

Put everything except thyme in a blender and blend until smooth (this may take a while!). You’ll have a great soup ready in just a few minutes. Warm over gentle heat, sprinkle with fresh thyme and enjoy.

This is my weekly submission to Weekend Herb Blogging, which has passed from Kalyn’s Kitchen to Haalo ofCook Almost Anything At least Once (words to live by!) This week’s hostess is Wiffy of Noob Cook

©2012 Gluten Free Goodness. All Rights Reserved.

Growing up, I wasn’t a fan of tomatoes.  It was only once I started having them straight out of the garden that I discovered they were actually quite yummy!  So I never had tomato soup growing up, nor did I really develop a concept  of what tomato soup should be like.  I made a bunch of batches last year, and discovered that I like thick, serious soup…none of that thin, watery soup for me.  That’s why I seed everything by hand rather than using a food mill, because it gives a much heartier soup.  This does take a while, but it’s totally worth it–trust me!

As you’ll notice, the ingredients are as simple as can be.  That’s because when veggies are totally ripe and garden fresh, they shine best with little adornment.  For variety, I’ve roasted the tomatoes with fresh thyme, or added in a little cayenne.

I caramelize onions with just a little oil and long, slow cooking.  I do stir, simply because I like doing huge batches.  Otherwise, there’s so little left to enjoy! on!  This summer, I’ve only found sweet onions at the market, which are super yummy, but very watery, so i periodically “bail out” some onion juice and save it to add it back in later.  That’s not needed with yellow onions.   As you can see, they cook way down.

The cashew cream on top isn’t necessary, but boy, is it the icing on the cake.  You can also use a dollop of pesto, if you’ve got some handy.

4 large onions, sliced thinly
2 Tablespoons oil
pinch of sea salt
4 lbs of tomatoes, seeded and peeled
fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup fresh basil

2 tablespoons of fresh thyme (optional)

Cashew Cream:
2/3 cup cashews
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon agave or maple syrup

Thinly slice the onions.  If you have a mandolin slicer, it’s much easier.  Heat the oil in a big heavy pot on medium heat, and add onions, stirring every 2-3 minutes for the first 10 minutes.   Add in a pinch of salt.  Onions should keep cooking over medium low heat for 70 min or so until dark and gorgeous.  They require little attention, just stir every 10 min or so while you’re working with the tomatoes.

Preheat oven to 350.

De- seed tomatoes, by chopping and squeezing gently.  For Romas or plum tomatoes, cutting in half is perfect, for a huge heirloom tomato, smaller pieces might be necessary.

Place tomatoes skin up on a WELL LINED cookie sheet.  Spray or drizzle with oil (if desired), thyme (if desired), black pepper and sea salt.  Roast for 15-20 minutes.  You will have more than one tray.  If you have a Vitamix or a high powered blender, it’s not necessary to peel the tomatoes.   If you don’t, it’s easy to pull the skins off as they are cooling.

Puree tomatoes in batches, adding in onion “water” if there is any.  Pour pureed tomatoes into the caramelized onion mix.

If you’re using the cashew cream, soak cashews in water overnight, then blend with water until smooth (this may take a long time!)  Add sweetener to taste.

Gently heat tomato soup, and serve with fresh chopped basil and cashew cream.

Cool to room temp before freezing.

This is my entry to the August edition of Go ahead honey, it’s GF, as hosted by the Crispy Cook.  This month’s theme is seasonal veggies.  What’s more seasonal than tomatoes?

©2012 Gluten Free Goodness. All Rights Reserved.