July 11, 2024July 11, 2024 by betsy

Black Bean & Hominy Soup–An Asian-Mexican Explosion (vegan & plant-based)

On a school architecture trip to Chicago in May, I had occasion to slip into Seoul Taco for a tofu taco, which served to solidify my love of Asian-Mexican fusion cooking. So, with our turn to host our Starlight Supper Club coming up in June and my husband Jonesin’ for bulgogi b*** in lettuce wraps–mushrooms for me and the vegetarians–we settled on an Asian-Fusion menu.

Bob and I hosted this thrice-annual fete on a weeknight so my cousin visiting from Houston could join the clan, most of whom he had met previously. I am out of school for the summer, but he and I had a day hike planned that Wednesday, so my contributions needed to be quick and fuss-free. To fit the bill, I whipped up this unforgettable soup loved by all–even Bob–and a delectable Miso Blackberry Quick Cobbler, which I will share in another post.

Our Supper Club always serves buffet style no matter which one of the three couples hosts and no matter the menu, so in the soup went to our stainless steel “crockpot” on low for a streamlined and attractive serving solution.

However and to whomever you serve it, you will definitely want to add this one-bowl wonder to your repertoire:

Black Bean & Hominy Soup

Yield: 8 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced, or about 1 cup
2 stalks celery, diced, about 1/2 cup
1 carrot, diced, about 1/2 cup
2 medium red, orange, and/or yellow bell peppers, diced, about 2 cups
Pinch sea salt
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Asian chili crisp
1 tablespoon, minced ginger
2 teaspoons vegetable soup base or 1 large vegetable bouillon cube
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2-15 ounce cans black beans with juice
2-15 ounce cans, hominy, drained (we like the yellow for color)
10 ounces riced cauliflower, cooked (we buy a frozen package and cook it in its package in the microwave, per directions)
2-15 ounce cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes with juice
2 cans coconut milk (lite or regular)

Garnishes: plant-based sour cream, candied peppers, roasted & lightly salted ppumpkin seeds

In Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot, bring olive oil to a sizzle over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, bell peppers, and pinch salt and saute, stirring frequently, several minutes, until softened. Adjust heat if necessary. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds, stirring continually. Stir in remaining ingredients in order and let simmer 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until flavors are married. Serve warm in bowls or mugs (pictured), garnished as desired.

Reese Lusk of **Lusk Studios** about to Get his Asian-Fusion On!

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June 26, 2024June 26, 2024 by betsy

Smoky Tomato Soup with Coconut Milk (vegan & plant-based)

Yield: 4-6 servings

All the veg we need without all the moaning and groaning from the veg-phobic…like my beloved spouse!

Created as an antidote to restaurant meals and other “fancy” cooking for our Starlight Supper Club and a happy hour this week while my cousin, Earl, is visiting from Houston, I loaded this recipe up with camouflaged vegetables so that Bob was none the wiser and he loved it! The guys enjoyed it with a plant-based grilled cheese sandwich for dipping, natch, but I thought it was perfectly satisfying unaccompanied. Note: If smokey isn’t your jam, use regular canned diced tomatoes.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced (approximately 1 cup)
1 carrot, diced (approximately 1/2 cup)
1 stalk celery, diced (approximately 1/2 cup)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch slivers
Pinch salt
Pinch black pepper
2 to 3 large cloves garlic, halved
2 teaspoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons vegetable base or 1 large bouillon cube
1 teaspoon dried basil
2-15 ounce cans diced fire roasted tomatoes
1-15 ounce can coconut milk ( I use lite, but you do you!)
Optional garnish: drizzle olive oil and/or vegan sour cream thinned with water or non-dairy milk, fresh minced parsley or basil

In large skillet, heat olive oil over medium. Add fresh vegetables, except garlic, with pinch salt and pepper, and saute, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add garlic and saute 1 minute longer. Transfer to bowl of large food processor and process until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Add tomato paste, vegetable base, basil, and 1 can tomatoes, and puree again until smooth. Add remaining can tomatoes and coconut milk and puree a final time. Return to skillet and heat until bubbly. Serve warm, garnished as desired.

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@vegan_community

October 12, 2022October 12, 2022 by betsy

Beer Cheese Soup + Review of Spero Foods “The Cheddar” (vegan & plant-based)

Spero Foods recently gifted me with a generous supply of their vegan, plant-based, and eco-conscious sunflower seed-based cheese spreads to sample, and I am happy to share both the results of my in-home taste-test of The Cheddar along with my recipe for vegan and plant-based Beer Cheese Soup. You can find my mini-review of Spero’s The Goat and my recipe for a lovely fall butternut squash-based dip or spread made with it here.

Packaged in 6.5 ounce tubs with a fresh, modern look, I have found the ever-so-slightly grainy texture of these products to be appealing. I don’t necessarily need for my spreads to be unnaturally smooth in most dishes. However, though taste is a highly subjective sense, I find that they tend to be over-salted. This was true of The Cheddar, which was also a bit too tangy for me, though my recollection of earthy cheddar from my pre-vegan days includes a pleasant tang.

So, unlikely to eat this spread by itself, I would be more apt to serve it with a sweet chutney or pepper jelly. However, not in need of party food, but in need of a mid-week dinner, I wondered if it would be tasty in a soup sweetened with coconut milk to offset both the salt and the potent tang. It was luscious, delicious, and satisfying, and I hope you enjoy!

Beer Cheese Soup (vegan & plant-based)

Yield: 4 servings

1 tablespoon vegan butter

3 stalks celery, diced

1 small onion, diced

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup vegetable stock

1/4 cup vegan beer or non-alcoholic beer

1-15 ounce can coconut milk, lite or regular (I used lite)

6 ounces Spero Foods The Cheddar spread

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon yellow or stone ground mustard

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

1/2 to 1 teaspoon Sriracha

Recommended garnishes: thinly sliced green onion, halved tri-color grape tomatoes, coarsely chopped smoked almonds, shredded vegan cheddar cheese, vegan croutons, etc.

In medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add celery, onion, a pinch of salt and pepper, turmeric, and garlic powder. Sauté, stirring frequently, until very soft, but not brown; adjusting heat as necessary. Stir in flour until well-combined, followed by vegetable stock, beer, and coconut milk. Bring to a simmer, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until smooth and creamy. Stir in The Cheddar spread, apple cider vinegar, mustard, nutritional yeast and Sriracha. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until all ingredients are completely combined and heated through. Serve in bowls, garnished as desired, accompanied by salad and chunks of vegan biscuits or a crusty bread, like maybe pretzel bread nuggets.

November 7, 2021November 7, 2021 by betsy

Golden Middle-Eastern Inspired Butternut Squash Stew (vegan & plant-based)

Middle Eastern-Inspired Butternut Squash Stew (vegan & plant-based)

Yield:6 servings

This golden, spiced–but not “spicy”–vegan and plant-based stew checks all my autumnal boxes.

Fresh squeezed orange juice is one of my secret ingredients. Canned pureed organic butternut squash is my other “secret” weapon for silky, luscious, and low calorie vegan and plant-based “cream” soup bases. I find it at Harris Teeter, but you can substitute pumpkin if unable to locate.

Roast the following until caramelized at 425-450 degrees, lightly coated in olive olive and a sprinkle of salt:

12 ounces combined broccoli and cauliflower florets, approximately 20 to 25 minutes

16 to 24 ounces cubed butternut squash, approximately 30-35 minutes

Meanwhile proceed with recipe:

1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced
2 to 3 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 cup water or vegetable broth
Pinch sea salt
1-15 5 ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
1 teaspoon each: ground cardamom, ground coriander, ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, sumac, zaatar
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
1-15 5 ounce can pureed butternut squash (I buy at Harris Teeter)
1/3 cup coconut milk
2 to 3 cups vegetable stock
Juice of 1 medium-large orange
Sea salt to taste
Garnishes: plant-based sour cream; roasted and lightly salted pumpkin seeds or cashews; halved cherry tomatoes; cilantro, mint, or lemon balm sprigs

In Dutch oven or large pot, saute onion, bell pepper, and garlic in water/stock with pinch sea salt until tender. Add all remaining ingredients and simmer while vegetables roast. Stir in vegetables and simmer for another 10 minutes or so for flavors to marry. Serve garnished as desired.

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September 26, 2021October 5, 2021 by betsy

West African Peanut Stew with Butternut Squash, Chickpeas, & Spinach (vegan & plant-based)

West African Peanut Stew with Butternut Squash, Chickpeas & Spinach (vegan & plant-based)

With temperatures falling, I find this, my newest recipe, absolutely addicting. It checks all my autumnal culinary boxes and I hope yours.

Yield: approximately 8 servings

1to 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 teaspoon sea salt
4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Approximately 21 ounces peeled and cubed butternut squash
1-8 oz can diced tomatoes with juice (I used a variety with cilantro and jalapeno)
4 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
4 cups semi-firmly packed baby spinach
Garnishes: Fresh cilantro, whole or chopped roasted and lightly salted peanuts, and finally diced bell pepper (I like a tri-color blend)

In Dutch oven or large stockpot, heat oil over medium to medium high. Add onion and sea salt and saute, stirring frequently, for a few minutes or until onion is softened. Add garlic and saute, stirring, for another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add spices and butternut squash and sante, still stirring frequently, for several minutes or until squash is softened and just starting to break down. Add remaining ingredients, except garnishes, and simmer gently until thick and creamy and flavors are married. Add spinach and stir until wilted and completely incorporated. Serve topped with cilantro, peanuts, and and bell peppers, as desired.

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December 27, 2020December 27, 2020 by betsy

Pumpkin Beer Cheddar Soup

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

My friend, Jeff Dunn, to whom I gifted half of the recipe in a red-lidded carton tied with a bow, texted me that “The soup is Phenomenal!! I think this is my new favorite soup of all time.”

This is a rich,creamy, deeply flavored, and dramatically cleaned up version of a dairy-based beer Cheddar soup recipe I came across. It was made with lots of dairy, coconut milk, and no pumpkin, rather pumpkin beer.

While I didn’t taste that soup, I can’t imagine a tastier nor velvetier version than mine made with pureed pumpkin, coconut milk, the vegan beer of your choice, and a small amount of vegan Cheddar supplemented with cheesy and ultra-healthy nutritional yeast.

Pumpkin Beer Cheddar Soup

(vegan & plant-based)
Yield: 6 servings

1 medium-large yellow onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 vegetable bouillon cube or 1 teaspoon paste
1-15 ounce can pureed pumpkin
1-15 ounce can coconut milk, lite or regular
12 ounces vegan beer (Google to identify vegan brands)
1 cup shredded vegan Cheddar
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
Ootional toppings: grated vegan Cheddar, sliced green onions, roasted and lightly salted pumpkin seeds or pecan halves, pomegranate arils, dried cranberries or cherries, sprig of rosemary, sage leaves, croutons, etc.

Cover bottom of large soup pot with water and add onion and salt. Place over medium heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until onion is soft. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds. Add cornstarch and stir well to combine. Add remaining ingredients, in order, stirring after each to completely combine. Simmer for 10 minutes or so until beer mellows and all flavors marry. Season with additional salt if necessary and serve topped as desired.

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December 22, 2020 by betsy

Best White Bean and Kale Soup (vegan, plant-based, low-calorie, & low fat)

Yield: 4 servings

White Bean and Kale soup sounds so ho-hum, right? But this is the best I have ever had, much less made. And I find myself craving it. It is rivaled by its inspiration created by my dear friend, Sharon Clohessy, and enjoyed by her Solo Stove in front of her charming yellow beach cottage.

I started feeling poorly on the drive over to her house on a recent fall evening and, apologetically declined food and definitely wine. After a bit, though, I asked to try just a little soup. The warm, mildly fragrant silkiness of it was like good medicine. And when I finished that, I asked for a little more.

Sharon used 2 cans of Northern White Beans, one pureed for the base. I used pureed cooked cauliflower instead to produce a silky base that is still luscious but even lower in calorie. And its flavor is sweet and earthy. I actually used a bag of cauliflower hash mix which includes a modest amount of carrot and celery and lends subtle layers of earthy flavor.

For seasoning, Sharon cleverly used pesto. I only had olive tapenade on hand, and 2 tablespoons was all the added flavor this soup needed.

Previously, I tended to use the baby variety of kale for any recioe requiring greens, but it cooks away to almost nothing. Massaging the more sustantial curly kale leaves, as she did, takes just a few minutes, and is well worth the smidgen of extra effort before tearing the leaves into small pieces.

Best White Bean and Kale Soup

Yield: 4 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, sliced or minced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt + more to taste
16 ounces chopped cauliflower or cauliflower hash mix which also contains carrots and celery
1 cup water
4 cups vegetable stock
1-15 ounce can drained Northern White Beans
1 small bunch curly kale, leaves massaged with your fingers as you rinse them, and torn into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons vegan pesto or olive tapenade

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and salt, and saute, stirring frequently, until slightly softened; adjust heat as necessary. Add cauliower and do the same. Add water and cook, stirring frequently, until very soft, just a few minutes. Puree in large food processor, return to pot, stir in remaining ingredients, and simmer over medium heat until kale is tender. Adjust seasoning with salt. Serve in mugs (my choice) or bowls.

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January 4, 2019 by betsy

Vegan Pumpkin Coconut Curry Soup

For the 18th (!) Annual Christmas, Chanukkah, Curry, and Cakes Party & Swap for some 25 of my girl tribe, I kept the menu simple, healthful, beautiful, and delicious.

This one time buffet dinner morphed into a cocktail party-swap a few years back and then, last year, into a moveable feast and swap featuring curried pumpkin soup. Soup is self-serve from the stove, but I make it festive with a buffet of toppings. This year’s tasty accompaniments were vegan blue cheese-chutney cole slaw, quartered persimmons, and vegan sugar cookies. Oh, and wine. Lots of wine.

This year’s soup creation was superior to last and I am pleased to share it with you, as I wouldn’t change a thing.

Vegan Pumpkin Coconut Curry Soup

Yield: 10 cups

1- 29 ounce can pureed pumpkin

1-15.5 ounce can lite coconut milk

1-30 gram package Jaswant’s Kitchen Chana Masala seasoning packet or the equivalent (you may prefer less–it is spicy)

4 cups vegetable stock or broth

Toppings bar: grated coconut, sliced green onions, roasted pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries or cherries, etc.

Whisk together all ingredients except toppings in a large soup pan or Dutch oven and bring to a simmer over medium to medium-high heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Serve topped as desired.

July 16, 2018 by betsy

Vegan Lunch Hack
Southwestern Butternut Squash Bisque

An easy, elegant, low calorie and, of course, vegan lunch hack…

Southwestern Butternut Squash Bisque
Yield: 2 generous servings, app. 200 calories each (including garnish)

Every so often, I go on what I only half-jokingly call an “austerity program,” limiting myself to what’s in my pantry or freezer combined with a few fresh ingredients rather than giving in to whims and cravings that would require more purchases.

I have had some Dr. Mcdougall’s brand organic, vegan Butternut Squash Bisque hanging around in a 17.6 ounce box for a while. I opened it, tasted it, and found it lovely in its sweetness, earthiness, and velvety texture. But I felt it needed a little boost. Incidentally, the whole container was only 240 calories.

I also discovered some Frontera brand Green Chile Enchilada Sauce with roasted tomatillo and garlic in an 8 oz package. This whole container was only 80 calories and it, too, was tasty and silky on its own.

I simply stirred them together, heated the mixture, put a dollop of vegan sour cream and a sprig of fresh cilantro on top, and garnished with a little side salad of mixed lettuces, halved cherry tomatoes, and a wedge of lime. In a very few minutes, lunch was served.

Honestly, I would order this dish in a restaurant and tip generously with compliments to the chef.