A Soup Kind of Day -- Ditch the Can!

Homemade Tomato Bisque is a classic soup that is simple to make and this recipe will have you coming back for more.   SO MUCH better than a canned soup!  Know what you are eating.

Made from ingredients you likely have in your pantry and refrigerator. Comfort food at it’s best.

Homemade Tomato Bisque 

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. organic coconut oil 
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 2 cloves, garlic, minced
• 32 oz. vegetable broth (no sugar added)
• 1 cup water
• 1 can (28 oz.) whole tomatoes (no sugar added)
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste (no sugar added)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/4 tsp. red cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 cup from a can of full-fat coconut milk 
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
• a couple of dashes Tobasco sauce

Instructions

1. Heat the coconut oil in a large soup pot.
2. Add the onion and carrot and sauté for about 8-10 minutes. Until the onion looks translucent.
3. Add the garlic and sauté a couple more minutes.
4. Pour in the broth, water, tomatoes, tomato paste.
5. Add the bay leaf, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and basil.
6. Cover and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes. Stir a couple of times to make sure it is not sticking.
7. Remove from the heat and let cool.
8. Remove the bay leaf.
9. Now you need to blend the soup. You can either use and immersion blender until it is completely smooth or Use a blender. Blend in batches until the soup is smooth.
10. Return the tomato soup to the pot by pouring it through a sieve.
11. Reheat the soup and add the coconut milk, salt and pepper. Do not bring to a boil or cook too high after the coconut milk has been added.
12. Taste to see if you need more salt or pepper. They can always add a little at the table.
13. Serve and enjoy!

 

 

 

Serving size: 1 1/2 cups

 

Original recipe from which I modified: Vegan in the Freezer

 

ALL THE BEST,

Need Extra Vegetables? Try this Autumn Squash Vegetable Soup.

Have you ever tried the seasonal "Autumn Squash Soup" from Panera Bread?  Well, this can now be your go-to healthy version. You certainly won't miss the fat and calories! 

And, this fits into your 21 Day Fix plan, too.  Bonus.  Your nutrition plan for the day will thank you.  So will your belly. 

Autumn Squash Vegetable Soup

(21 Day Fix Approved)

4 cups of peeled, cubed butternut squash (microwave whole squash 3-4 minutes for easier peeling)
1 large apple, peeled and cubed
1/2 yellow onion, peeled and cubed
4 tsp. coconut oil
1 tsp. curry powder
3-1/2 cups organic, low-salt vegetable broth
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
Pink Himalayan salt, ground black pepper, and cinnamon

Roast cubed butternut squash that has been seasoned with cinnamon and salt for 30 mins at 425 degrees. 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté apple and onion in coconut oil with curry powder. and a few dashes of salt, for about 10 minutes, until softened.

 

Add broth, milk, and squash to the large skillet with the apple and onion, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes. Stir in salt to taste. 

 

 

 

Use an immersion blender or transfer soup to a high-speed blender or food processor, and blend until soup is smooth and creamy.

 

Garnish with another sprinkle of cinnamon (or curry powder), along with a few pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.

 

(21 Day Fixers:  1 green container of this = 1 green and 1 tsp.  I didn't bother counting the minimal almond milk.  Have one less bite of banana that day instead of counting a small fraction of a purple for the apple.)

 

 

ALL THE BEST,

Spicy Red Lentil and Chard Soup

Continuing the New Year focus on frugal cooking that is still healthy and tasty, I spied half a bag of red lentils languishing toward the back of a pantry shelf. Time for some soup! I enjoy a variety of lentil soups, but hadn't made one yet this winter. I started by looking at a Food & Wine recipe, but pretty quickly set off on my own direction. Chard was on sale, so I added that to add nutrition and turned the soup greenish. I think the photo looks a bit better above than the pureed version I served, but I prefer the consistency of the latter. The spice blend was just the right mix to create an interesting flavor without being overwhelming. Definitely a soup worth trying in your kitchen! This is a good option for vegans.

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 celery stock, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups lentils
4 cups vegetable broth
3 cups water
1 bunch chard (reserve 2 leaves for future use if you have a big bunch)
bay leaf
couple handfuls baby spinach
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
good pinch cinnamon
1/2 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper to taste

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pot on medium medium heat. Add the onion, cook for a few minutes until it begins to soften. Add the carrots and celery, followed by the garlic. Cook for another minute or two, then stir in the lentils with the other tbsp of olive oil. Add the dried spices at this time, including a bit of salt to taste.

Stir the lentils with the onion and spice mixture for a few minutes until the lentils are well coated. Add the broth and water bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Add the bay leaf, and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes until lentils just begin to soften. Stir in the chard, and simmer until the chard is well softened, about 15 minutes more.

When the chard is cooked, remove the soup from the heat and puree--ideally with your handheld blender! Alternatively, puree in batches in a food processor. Return soup to the stove, heat gently and stir in the spinach leaves until they begin to wilt. The spinach isn't essential to the taste, but it does add a nice consistency. You're now ready to enjoy your flavorful soup!

CSA Day Potato and Cabbage Soup

Tuesday is a day of transition for us. It's community supported agriculture (CSA) pickup day, which means a substantial influx of good, healthy vegetables. That's great, but it can be also daunting when there is still a good bit left from last week's pickup. We only have so much storage space, and don't want things going bad. So the goal here was to clear out the old veggies to make way for the new. I did use the fennel from this week's pickup, which added a nice flavor. In fact, I considered adding a bit of bacon to this, but I think it had plenty of taste with out it, thanks in part to the fennel I'd say. You could easily switch the chicken broth to vegetable or water, and make this a vegetarian option.

1 medium onion chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lg carrot, sliced
1 bulb fennel, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups chopped)
3 small potatoes, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups chopped)
2/3 tsp garlic powder
4 cups cabbage
1 bay leaf
1 cup chicken broth
4 cups water
dash of salt
pepper to taste
grated cheese for topping (optional)

Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion, saute over medium heat until it begins to soften. Stir in the following, one at a time, as you have them ready: carrot, fennel, potato and then cabbage. Add the garlic powder and a dash of salt.  Add the chicken broth and water along with the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer (around a medium low setting). Simmer until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Will take about 30 minutes. The potatoes will be the slowest, so that is what to check for tenderness.

When the vegetables are done, puree with a handheld blender or a food processor, until you get to the desired consistency. I like to leave a few chunks of vegetable for texture, but that's just me. Add pepper to taste, and serve with grated cheddar cheese at the table.