The Power of Soups for Cold Weather

​This winter I have been experimenting with vegan soups.  Low fat, dairy-free, gluten free, sugar-free, low sodium, no carbs and filling. Big winners!  Here are the recipes for several of them. A word of caution:  I do not use recipes, nor do I measure anything.  These are all approximate.  Taste before adding too much of anything.  Allow your own creativity to fit these into your own palate.

I love to roast vegetables before turning them into soups.  This brings out their natural sugars, and rounds out their flavors.  I use canned coconut cream or milk.  These add creaminess to each of the soups.  You could probably add milk instead, if you choose.  Allow about 2 hours prior to dinner to prepare these soups.  About 30 minutes of prep work involved.

For all my soups I use my blending wand.  Magic!

Sweet Potato Peanut Butter Soup

This soup, based on peanut stew which I discovered years ago in Nigeria, can have a bit of a kick.  I garnish this with peanuts.

2 large sweet potatoes
2 large green peppers
1 onion
3-4 cloves of garlic
3 T olive oil
1 medium can of chopped tomatoes
4 tablespoons peanut butter
1 can coconut milk
3 C unsalted vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon turmeric
salt to taste

Quarter sweet potatoes and peppers.  Roast in oven at 400 for about an hour
Chop and saute onion and garlic
Add all ingredients.  Blend all ingredients.  Simmer for about 30 minutes.

Orange Ginger Butternut Squash Soup 

Orange juice adds a bit of sweetness without sugar.  The ginger makes this distinctive.

1 large butternut squash
Nub of ginger
1 onion
2 to 3 cloves garlic
2 T olive oil
1 cup orange juice
1 can coconut cream
3 cups unsalted vegetable broth
turmeric
cumin
salt to taste

Quarter squash and remove seeds
Brush with olive oil
Roast for about 1 hour at 400
Mince garlic, onion and ginger
Saute in olive oll
Add all other ingredients
Blend and simmer for about 30 minutes

Celery Root and Apple Soup

Imagine a winterized Waldorf salad.  Delicate and delicious.  Garnish with toasted walnuts if you wish.

1 celery root
about 10 stalks of celery
3 medium Gala apples
2 medium carrots
1 onion
2-3 cloves garlic
2 T olive oil
4 cups no salt vegetable broth
1 can coconut milk
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t ground cloves
1/4 t ground nutmeg

dice onion and garlic
saute in olive oil
peel and chop celery root
mince celery and carrot
chop apples
add to olive oil
pour in broth
simmer until soft
add broth and blend 
add coconut milk, seasonings and simmer to blend flavors