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Oats is so much associated with instant cooking, and this soup is very much an instant preparation. When I was talking to my friend the other day, she told me that she came to know about this soup from a restaurant chef. It is easy to prepare and is apt for any time of the day.
Ingredients
- Oats – 3 tablespoons
- Spring onions- 1 bunch (white and green part separated and chopped)
- Cumin seeds- 1 teaspoon
- Garlic – 2 pods (minced)
- Water – 2 cups
- Soy milk – ¼ cup
- Olive oil – 1 tablespoon
- Salt to taste
- Ground pepper to taste
Directions
1. Set a pan and add oil. Once hot splutter cumin seeds and add green onions and minced garlic. Stir fry for 3 minutes.
2. Add oats and stir fry for a minute. Add 2 cups of water and bring it to boil. Switch off the stove and add soy milk. Add salt and mix well.
3. Garnish with pepper and spring onions and serve warm.
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Some of my favorite soups are the simplest. This carrot and red lentil soup has a glorious flavor on its own without any added ingredients. This hearty soup could be served at any time of the day on all occasions.
Ingredients
- Carrots – 3 (chopped)
- Onion- 1 (chopped)
- Garlic – 2 pods (chopped)
- Red lentils / masoor dhal – 4 tablespoons
- Soy milk/ rice milk – 1 cup
- Salt to taste
- Ground pepper
- Olive oil – 1 teaspoon
- Vegetable broth/ water – 2 cups
Directions
1. Add oil to a pan. Once hot, stir in garlic and onions. Stir fry them for 3 minutes.
2. Add carrots and sauté them for 3 more minutes. Add red lentils and fry for couple of minutes. Stir in vegetable broth/ water and let it cook for 20 to 25 minutes.( the lentils must be cooked properly)
3. Switch off the stove. Let cool. Puree carrots, lentils, onion and garlic in a blender.( use water/ vegetable broth to thin out the consistency required)
4. Bring the pureed mixture to a boil adding a cup of soy milk.
5. Switch off the stove and add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve with croutons.
Notes
1. If using pressure cooker, cook carrots with lentils for two whistles.
This is my entry for Courtney’s My Legume Love Affair 10th helping and Susan’s My legume love affair .
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We grab certain items without a second thought while grocery shopping sometimes. I did the same and had grabbed a pack of fresh looking baby corn. I was determined to use it in a more healthy way than preparing fried Manchurian. I vaguely remembered the recipe of my mom’s amazing baby corn soup in which she would add a handful of lentil. I made my own version of baby corn soup, and to my amazement found the bowl empty.
Ingredients
- Baby corn- 20 (15 +5) ( use 15 to pressure cook and chop the other 5 to small pieces)
- Onion – 1 (chopped)
- Garlic – 2 pods
- Green bell pepper – 1(chopped into small pieces)
- Green onions – 1 bunch (chop the onions and leaves separately)
- Olive oil – 1 teaspoon
- Salt to taste
- Ground pepper
Directions
1. Cook 15 baby corn, onion, garlic adding a cup of water in a pressure cooker for two whistles. Turn off the flame and let cool.
2. Once cooled strain the veggies and blend them in a blender to a smooth paste. Reserve the stock after straining the veggies.
3. Set a pan add oil. Once hot add green onion and fry for a minute. Stir in green bell pepper and chopped baby corn and stir fry them for 4 to 5 minutes until they become soft.
4. Add 2 teaspoons of all purpose flour and stir in the reserved stock and whisk well as not to form any lumps. Add blended veggies and bring it to boil. Add salt and mix well.
5. Switch off the stove. Ladle into soup bowl, garnish with green onions leaves.
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It’s long since I made soup and I was longing for a good one. I wanted something creamy and healthy and settled for creamy vegetable soup. It not only quenched my longing but my taste buds appreciated the rich, creamy, chunky vegetable soup.
Ingredients
- Carrot – 2 (chopped)
- Green beans – 12 (chopped)
- Green bell pepper – 1/2 (chopped)
- Green peas – ¼ cup (thaw it if using frozen)
- Onion powder – ½ teaspoon
- Garlic powder – ½ teaspoon
- Corn starch powder- 2 teaspoons
- Soy milk / rice milk- ½ cup
- Olive oil – 2 tablespoons
- Salt to taste
- Ground pepper for seasoning
- Parsley for garnishing
- Vegetable broth / water – 2 cups
Directions
1. Add oil to deep bottomed pan. Add carrot, green peas, bell pepper and green beans. Add garlic powder and onion powder and stir fry them for 5 minutes until tender but crisp.
2. Stir in water / vegetable broth and bring it to boil. Simmer for 15 more minutes.
3. Mix cornstarch in 3 tablespoons of water and add to the soup. Whisk well as not to form any lumps. Once the soup has thickened add soy milk.Switch off heat
4. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley and serve.
Notes
1. You could use ½ onion in place of onion powder and 1 minced garlic in replacement of garlic powder.
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Thomas Fuller, 1732:
“Of soup and love, the first is the best.”
I would say friendship and soup can be placed parallel as both gives warmth and comfort. Friends tend to ease out our feelings and act as anti depressant agents. Soups provide comfort and are welcome at anytime of the day. Indeed soups can be served as appetizers or can be had as a meal.
Here is one such soup using Bok Choy (Chinese cabbage) and Shiitake mushrooms. My friend Menaka Gopi, living in Singapore, needs help with the recipes that use the many varieties of greens and mushrooms available in Chinese stores. Hope this post will give her an idea on where to begin with the Chinese greens and mushrooms.
Bok Choy, good source of calcium, vitamin A and C, is also low in calories. It may also help prevent cancer by eliminate carcinogens.
Shiitake mushrooms can reduce blood pressure and lowers cholesterol regardless of the dietary fats being eaten. If you are on weight loss plan, go ahead and purchase shiitake mushrooms.
Ingredients
- Bok Choy (leaves) – 1 cup (blanched)
- Shiitake mushrooms – 1 cup
- Spring onions- 1 bunch
- Garlic (cloves) – 3 (minced)
- Ginger – 1 inch piece (chopped)
- Soy sauce/ tamari – 3 tablespoons
- Bay leaf – 1
- Chili flakes – ½ teaspoon
- Bok Choy stems – 3 ( cubed)
- Tofu ( firm) – 10 pieces ( cubed) ( optional)
Directions
1. Cut the leaves from the stems of Bok choy and wash them well. To blanch them, chop them into pieces and plunge them into a pot of boiling water, let stand for 3 minutes and rinse them in cold water. Set aside.
2. Snip the stems of the mushrooms, wash them and chop them into pieces. Wash the heads of the mushrooms and set them aside.
3. In a large bowl, add Bok Choy stems, mushroom stems, chopped spring onions, bay leaf, chilli flakes, soy sauce, ginger and garlic. Add 6 cups of water and bring them to rolling boil. When it reaches the boiling point, simmer the stove and let it boil for another 50-60 minutes. you will notice after 60 minutes, water would have reduced to half the quantity.By this time , water in the pot would be ingested with nutrients from the veggies.
4. Switch off the stove, strain the water, reserve the stock and discard the veggies.
5. Chop the reserved mushroom heads and stir fry them in a pan for 3 to 5 minutes until crisp and tender. Sprinkle a dash of salt to the mushroom and stir in Bok Choy leaves. Add the stock and bring it to boil. Add tofu pieces if adding them.
6. Switch off and serve.
Variations
You can add 1/2 cup of noodles to step 5 to make it starchy noodle soup.
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Schools had been called off on Monday due to heavy snow. What a way to start a Monday! My son and I made quick plans as what to do and make the best out of it. We were to shovel the snow in our front yard, and then settle for a movie. I knew we would be cold and hungry after the snow removal. So I decided to make smoky hot sweet potato and lentil stew. We did have a perfect time in front of TV with the stew.
Ingredients
- Onion – 1 (chopped)
- Dried lentils – ¾ cup (washed and rinsed)
- Sweet potato (medium sized) – 1 (chopped into medium sized cubes)
- Vegetable broth / water – 3 cups (I used 1 cup of vegetable broth and 2 cups of water)
- Curry powder – 1tablespoon
- All purpose flour – 2 tablespoons
- Apple juice – ½ cup
- Salt to taste
- Olive oil – 2 teaspoons
Directions
1. Heat oil in a sauce pan on medium sauce pan. Cook onion and curry powder for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in all purpose flour and add broth in small doses, stirring constantly. Bring it to boil.
2. Stir in lentils and salt . Add 1 cup of water. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
3. When about 50% of the water evoporates, add the sweet potatoes and 1 more cup of water and let it simmer for 25 minutes until the potatoes are cooked and soft. Stir in ½ cup of apple juice. Turn off the stove.
Serve with rice noodles or can have as such with crackers.
The apple juice enhances the flavor of curry powder and adds some sweet notes to the stew.
Sweet potatoes which are rich in carbohydrates, dietary fiber, beta carotene and vitamin A make this dish wholesome and tasty.
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I stood at the window watching the birds squeaking on the tree and wondered where they would go when it snows. I frantically thought about the frigid winter and about the Groundhog Day prediction. Well, this year the world’s famous ground hog saw his shadow predicting this winter will last for 6 more weeks.
Six more weeks of winter means more skiing for sports lovers and more hot and steaming food for foodies like me . What could be more comforting than a steaming bowl of soup on a snowy day? Cabbage soup is on the menu now.
Cabbage – Nutritional and Medicinal Values
Cabbage is rich in Vitamin C (an antioxidant) and fiber. Scientists believe people who frequently eat cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables may help reduce their risk of certain cancers such as colon and rectal cancer. A well-known remedy for healing peptic ulcers is drinking cabbage juice. Cabbage is an ideal food if you want to lose weight and maintain your optimal weight.
Ingredients
- Cabbage – ½ head (chopped)
- Carrots – 2 medium sized (julienned)
- Zucchini- 1 (peeled and cut into thin strips)
- Onion – 1 (chopped).
- Garlic – 2 (minced).
- Mint leaves – 15 nos.
- Tomato paste- 2 tablespoons.
- Vegetable broth – 1 cup.
- Cloves – 2 nos.
- Olive oil- 2 tsp.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Directions
1. Set a deep pan on stove. Add oil to the pan. Pop the cloves and the minced garlic. Add the onions. Once they turn translucent, add the carrots and zucchini. Stir- fry for 3 minutes.
2. Add the chopped cabbage and stir-fry for 3 more minutes. Add the mint leaves and fry till they wilt. Add 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce.
3. Add I cup of vegetable broth and 4 cups of water and bring to boil. Simmer the stove and let the veggies cook for 10 more minutes.
4. Add salt and pepper.
Ladle into the bowls. serve with toasted bread.
Mint leaves and the cloves give a good aroma and provides a kick to the soup.The tomato sauce does its part of job giving a subtle tangyness and making the soup wholesome.
Variation
You could mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in ¼ cup of water and add it at the final stage to get a thick soup.
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Have you ever baked your own bread? I insist that you give it a try if you want to sense the enticing aroma of freshly baked bread. You may be reluctant in following the several steps involved in baking the bread when you can get one right from your supermarket shelf. But, if you try this, I am sure you would love it not only for the experience but also for the large choices of flours and herbs you can opt in your recipe. You can get ideas for more bread recipes from here.
Ingredients
- Whole wheat flour – 1 ¾ cups
- Bread flour - ¼ cup
- Salt - 1 tsp
- Sugar - 2 tsp
- Water - 1 cup
- Dry active yeast - I packet
- Walnuts - ¼ cup
- Dried basil – ½ tsp
- Dried oregano – ½ tsp
Directions
1. Lightly spray a 9×5x3 inch pan. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine whole wheat flour and bread flour with salt. Set the bowl in warm oven. (set the oven to the lowest setting)
3. In a small bowl, mix sugar into 1/4 cup of water. Sprinkle yeast over liquid. Set it aside until yeast is dissolved and foamy, for about 15 minutes.
4. Remove warmed bowl of flour from oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
5. Stir in walnuts, basil, oregano and thyme into the warm flour. Pour yeast mixture and remaining 3/4 cup water into the flour mix. Using a wooden spoon, mix the flour until sticky dough forms. Don’t worry if the mixture seems dry first, it will get moisture as you stir. Keep mixing it until it pulls away from sides of bowl partially.
6. Turn dough into the prepared pan. Cover pan with a slightly wet dish towel. Set it in a warm place until the dough doubles in volume (for about 15 minutes).
7. Bake for 10 minutes at 450 degrees, and then reduce heat to 425 degrees and bake 20 minutes, until loaf sounds hollow when tapped in center of the top and bottom. Crust will be dark brown and hard. (If the loaf is very dark but still moist in center, turn off the oven and let the bread sit in oven for 5 minutes). Let the bread cool completely before slicing.
This recipe is good for three servings. If you want more, scale up the ingredients accordingly.
Lentil soup
Lentil soup is a good complement for the bread (Lentil is a good source of protein. You can opt for some other protein rich recipes such as split pea soup).
Ingredients
- Onion – 1 (chopped).
- Carrots – 2 (medium sized – chopped)
- Celery stalks – 2 (chopped)
- Spinach – 1 cup (chopped greens firmly packed)
- Tomato – 2 (finely chopped)
- Vegetable broth – 1 can
- Lentils – 1 cup ( for this recipe, I used the canned beans. If you want to use dried ones, please see note under “variation”)
- Ground coriander powder- 1 tsp
- Ground cumin powder – 1 tsp
- Dried oregano – 1 tsp
- Dried basil – 1 tsp
- Salt to taste
- Olive oil – 2 tsps.
Directions
1. Heat a large pan and add oil. Add garlic , onions, celery and carrot. Sauté them for 5 to 6 minutes. Add chopped spinach and fry them till they wilt.
2. Add tomatoes and cook till they become mushy. Add vegetable broth along with coriander powder, cumin powder and dried oregano and basil. Increase heat and bring it to rolling boil.
3.Stir in lentil and simmer the stove . Let it cook for 20 mts on low heat. Switch off the stove. Add salt and pepper according to your taste.
Variation: If you are using dried lentils, stir in the lentils along with the vegetable broth and cook in low heat for 45 – 50 minutes or until the lentil is cooked but not mushy.
It is a perfect combo – a duo delight!!
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When I read the book “Deceptively Delicious” by Jessica Seinfeld, I found it interesting how she made her meals nutritious and children-friendly by adding various vegetable and fruit purees into otherwise common recipe. Following this idea, I modified the recipe for “applesauce muffins” to make it nutritious and vegan friendly.
Ingredients
- All purpose flour - ¾ cup.
- Whole wheat flour - ¾ cup.
- Old fashioned oats - 1 cup.
- Apple sauce - 1 cup ( I pressure cooked 3 chopped apples and pureed it).
- Carrot puree - ½ cup (I steamed chopped carrots for 12 mts and pureed it in blender).
- Brown sugar - ½ cup ( firmly packed).
- Vegetable or canola oil – ¼ cup
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9” bread pan and set aside.
- Mix the apple sauce, carrot puree , soy milk and oil thoroughly.
- In a bowl, combine the wheat flour, all purpose flour , baking soda , baking powder, cinnamon powder and sieve them 2 two times to combine well. Now add the brown sugar and mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold the mixture gently. The batter will be lumpy.
- Pour the batter into greased pan and bake in 350 degrees for about 55 to 60 minutes.
- Check the cake by inserting a skewer stick and bake until done.
Store in fridge after a day.
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Yesterday was a pinnacle in the history of United States. It was a glorious day as Barack Obama took his oath as the president. It was amazing to see the four former presidents being introduced and hailed! Then Obama took his oath as president with the Bible with which Abraham Lincoln was sworn in as president. It was an extrodinary moment in history.
I did not want to miss the inaugural ceremony and address! So, I wanted to whip up something fast for the lunch, and wanted it to be healthy at the same time. So I prepared beans soup with veggies and pasta, which is a whole meal by itself.
Ingredients
- Bell peppers - 2 ( red & green 1 each) – cut into pieces
- Carrot – 2, medium sized ( cubed)
- Green beans – 10 strings ( cut into small pieces)
- Celery sticks - 2 sticks
- Zucchini - 1 (diced)
- Onion - 1 ( cut finely)
- Tomatoes - 3 (chopped)
- Pasta shells - 1/2 cup
- Pink beans - 1/2 cup ( I used the canned beans. If you are using the dried beans, soak them in water for eight hours)
- Vegetable Broth – 2 cups
- Garlic - 2 minced
- Dried Thyme - 1/2 tsp
- Dried Oregano – 1/2 tsp
- Oil - 2 tsps
- Chilli flakes - 1 tsp (optional)
Directions
1. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan and add the garlic, onion and bell peppers. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring ocassionally , until crisp-tender.
2. Now add the green beans and carrot and sauté for 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook till they become mushy.
3. Stir in the vegetable broth along with the pink beans. Cook for 5 minutes . Bring the broth to boil. Reduce the heat to medium low.
4. Stir in the pasta shells. Boil for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring ocassionally. Now add the dried spices and salt.
5. Ladle the soup into the bowl and enjoy!
I enjoyed both the hearty soup and the inaugural speech 
Posted by: Uma
Filed under: Soups
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