Have you been looking for something a little different for dinner? This Black Bean Stew is just the thing. It's packed with protein and good carbs, is simple to make and creates an intoxicating aroma as well as incredible flavor.
Black beans have 30 grams of protein per cup.
As the leaves fall and swirl to the ground, the produce shelves fill up with different varieties of winter squash. Acorn, butternut, Kabucha, Pumpkin, and Delectica all call to my inner chef to create and explore the richness of this winter bounty.
I picked up a butternut squash, hoping for a bit of inspiration. Soup was calling to me.
October is National Chili Month (the dish not the pepper) and in celebration, I thought I would bring this tried and true recipe to your attention. Having grown up in the Southwestern United States, making a good chili carries with it a sense of pride.
From "A Texas Scrapbook: San Antonio's Military PlazaA few fun facts about chili: •It is the state food of Texas. •There is dispute about its creation. Cowpokes get the credit, but long before the cattle trail the Chili Queens of the military plazas in San Antonio and other towns were selling this hearty concoction to road weary travelers. •The Incas and Aztec also had versions of a combination of beans and chili. •While the chili trail is well documented and guilty of very tall Texas tales, chili con carne simply means "peppers with meat" in Spanish.
Soup is a relatively easy process for me. I’ve been making it since I could reach the stove top. As a chef I’ve learned the nuance of spices, what to blend to make something savory, sumptuous, and loaded with good stuff. My instincts usually guide me to the right places.
Last weekend as I looked through what was left in the fridge, I noticed I hadn’t used up the cabbage and I had some potatoes that needed cooking. Then, there’s carrots, always carrots. I went to work slicing and dicing in order to produce a soup.
A good soup or sauce, and even some dressings have a solid stock base to them. I like to cook beans in a vegetable stock because it adds a certain depth of flavor. Yes, you can make the stock in the pan when making the soup, but sometimes time constraints demand that a prepared stock is used.
Rough chop beet, carrots, and onion. Place in stockpot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until vegetables are soft. Strain the vegetables, reserving the liquid. Puree the vegetables in a blender on high, adding enough liquid to smooth out the mixture. Make it as thick or soupy as you like. I like this soup to be a little on the thick side. Return the puree to the pot, and re-heat. While its cooking, add coriander, turmeric, smoked salt, clove, paprika, and saffron. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes to infuse the flavors. Add the lemon juice and coconut milk. Cook for another 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. I use white pepper in this recipe so I don't discolor the soup. Serve garnished with caramelized fennel, and cilantro leaves.
Tomato soup is one of America's comfort foods. Served with grilled cheese sandwiches, it was my favorite lunch. I hadn't tried to make any in a very long time because, cooking vegan, I always thought "but how do I make it creamy?"
One of the advantages of the day job is that I learn so much from the Chef. He taught me a simple way to make tomato soup without adding all the dairy.
I had some left over vegetables from the weekly cooking, so I let loose a soup. I love making soups, and there is usually more soup made than can be eaten. Not this time. I’m sure this Weekly Kitchen Sink Soup will go fast. It’s been rainy and gloomy for two days now, perfect soup weather.
This soup goes great with salad, or when it’s cold and rainy. The combination of ginger and clove is powerful, add the fennel into the mix and it becomes a potent hummy soup guaranteed to satisfy even the heartiest appetite.
Road trip food for a vegan can be challenging. Fortunately I have the skill set to pull off a pretty sweet cooler for traveling. Things that get packed before we slide out of town include, but are not limited to watermelon, jicama, oranges, hummus, carrot and celery sticks, tomatoes, olives, breads and tortillas, nuts and seeds, chips both potato and corn. This is just to get us started.
We've been discussing squash all month, and as a final tribute, here's a basic squash soup recipe that can be applied to several winter varieties of squash, including pumpkin, acorn, butternut, and kabocha squash. Winter squash are comforting when the temperatures drop and its cold outside. Enjoy this soup by the fire with relaxing music. Read on for the recipe.
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