Tomato Basil soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon olive oil (to drizzle over veggies)
• 1 Tbsp of Ghee
• 1 red onion
• 1 white onion 
• 5 clove garlic, minced
• couple handfuls of baby carrots
• several large ripe tomatoes 
• a few bell peppers
• 1 Tablespoon organic light brown sugar
• 1-2 cans of full fat coconut milk
• bunch of celery
• 1 apple  
• bunch of fresh basil, and dried basil
• handful of fresh cilantro 
• 1 tbs tomato paste 
• ginger paste
• 4 hot chilies (minced)
• Himalayan salt
• Ground black pepper
• 2 sweet potatoes
• 1 butternut squash 
• Other soup spices if desired (I added a salt free garlic & herb seasoning)
• Panera Bread Tomato Basil bread (to toast and eat with soup)

 tools - blender

Directions

Microwave sweet potatoes and butter nut squash until very soft. 

Take out the seeds of the tomatoes. Cut all veggies in large pieces.
In a mixing bowl, combine the seeded lightly chopped tomatoes, olive oil, light brown sugar, carrots, celery, and bell peppers. Toss to coat. Place the vegetables on a baking sheet roast until caramelized, about 16 minutes. Check half way and move around, don't want to char them too much.

Season the vegetables with salt and pepper.
 

Heat a soup pot over medium heat. Add some olive oil. When hot, add garlic, onions and saute for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.  Add the roasted vegetables and spices. Then add the coconut milk and mix well.  Cover and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add more liquid if desired. While removing the seeds of the tomatoes I filtered out the juice and it was about 3 cups of tomato juice. 

Then add to blender in sections.  Blend and puree the soup until uniform in texture, or as desired. Then lastly add some extra basil if desired and cilantro.

My soup turned out soo delicious! Nice and spicy! But I still add a drizzle of sriracha.

 Cut and remove the seeds from the tomatoes and cut in large chunks

 After coating all veggies in some olive oil, sprinkle some brown sugar after laying in pans for the oven

 After sauteing the onions in ghee and minced garlic, add the roasted veggies

 Add all spices

 Add coconut milk

 Simmer and add more liquid as desired

 Mix well and let simmer...don't overcook the veggies, this soup is amazing with a little bit of a crunch from the veggies after blending

 Blend in chunks

Soup is now ready to serve hot!

Veggie Soup

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of ghee (or olive oil for 100% vegan)
fresh garlic
fresh ginger
2 small red onion

1 white onion
green onions (separate white from green part)
bunch of carrots

fresh broccoli
1 bunch of fresh asparagus
1/2 a fresh cauliflower (not pictured below)
bunch of celery
fresh kale (mine was frozen from my garden)

bunch of fresh spinach 

bunch of cilantro
8 cups veggie stock
2 cans of coconut milk (1 full fat coconut milk & 1 low fat)

1 teaspoon dried basil (or amount to preference)

2 teaspoon of Salt Free garlic & Herb spice
2 small hot chilies (I used the 5 color Chinese hot pepper from my garden)
Himalayan salt (to taste...omit for a low-sodium option...still just as delicious!)

*Note - try use all Organic products & produce, and fresh chili peppers, garlic & ginger. 

Directions:

Chop up all veggies into small or sizable pieces according to preference. Heat up ghee pan, and when hot add minced garlic, ginger and chili. After a good stir add the chopped up onions. 

Saute for about 3-5 minutes until it the onions start to turn translucent. Add the chopped broccoli and carrots, then mix well for a couple of minutes. Add the basil and herb spice. Stir in for about a minute. Then add in half the veggie stock. Add in the 2 cans of coconut milk. Mix in well. Put the heat on high. Taste the liquid to see if it needs more spices, if so mix in more spices accordingly, and let the liquid heat up for about 5 minutes.

After the 5 minutes add in the asparagus and celery. I let that cook for about 3 minutes then add the kale. With all the liquid at this point it isn't even near a boil. Take this time to add in the other half of the veggie broth. 

Bring liquid to a near boil, it took about 10 minutes for this amount (do not over cook, so keep an eye on it).  Before it reaches a boil turn off the stove and add the spinach, green part of the green onions and cilantro.  Cover the pan for 5 minutes after to let the spinach steam. After 5 minutes mixing the soup and it's ready to eat!

A big pot like this lasts for days. I store it in the fridge, and sometimes a serving in the freezer for a rainy day. When I'm ready to eat it I heat it on the stove and throw some fresh spinach towards the end. It just takes some heat and steam to soften up the spinach, making the dish feel like it was just made!

Tips - The key to an Amazing veggie soup is to NOT overcook the veggies. In fact under-cook them. When you turn the heat of the hot liquid tends to keep cooking them. This tip is important, especially with such a big pot that will be reheated the next day. Always reheat only as much as will be eaten right away.

 All ingredients

 All ingredients chopped up and read to cook

 Heat Ghee, and when hot add the chopped garlic, ginger and chilli

 Add the red, white and green onions (but not the green part of the green onion). Cook at medium-high until onions start to get translucent

 Add the broccoli and carrots

 Mix in for a few minutes

 Add seasoning - Basil and Salt Free herbs

 Add half the veggie broth (I used 2 quarts...1 low sodium one regular)

 Add both the cans of coconut milk (1 low-fat one regular can). Makes for some really delicious healthy creamy soup.

 Mix all liquids in well

 Make sure the heat is on high so all the liquid can slowly reach a boil.

 Taste the broth and if it needs more flavor add my basil and/or herbs

 Once the liquid starts to get a little bit hot add the asparagus and celery

 Mix in and cook for a few minutes

 Mix in the kale and keep an eye on the soup so it almost reaches a boil but doesn't boil. I like my soup to have slightly underdone veggies so when I heat up my serving over the next few days the veggies don't overcook.

 Add the second quart of vegetable broth and let it heat up to a near boil.

 Once the liquid is about to start boiling, turn the heat off. Add the spinach.

 Add the cilantro and green part of the green onions.

 I don't like to mix it all in, but rather let it sit on top and cover it so the spinach can steam for 5 minutes.

 After 5 minutes the soup is ready to eat! Mix it all together and serve hot.

Bon Appetit!

Thai Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons coconut oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups pumpkin, peeled and small dice (or 1 BPA free-can or container of pumpkin puree)
• 2 cups vegetable broth, more as needed
• 2 cups of coconut milk
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons red curry paste
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• sea salt and pepper, to taste
• 4 tablespoons pumpkin seeds (pepitos)
• 4 tablespoons fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. In a pot, heat coconut oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and pumpkin and cook 4-5 minutes.
2. Add the stock, coconut milk, bay leaf, thyme and curry paste and cook for 15-20 minutes, adding more stock as needed.
3. Take off the heat, remove the bay leaf and puree with an immersion blender or regular blender.
4. Place back on the stove and add the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper as desired. Heat until warmed through.
5. To serve, place the soup in a bowl and top with the pumpkin seeds and chopped cilantro. Enjoy!

Coconut Veggie Soup

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons ghee (or olive oil)
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp jeera seeds
fresh garlic
ginger
1 red onion

1 white onion
1 tomato
green onions
fresh broccoli
fresh cauliflower

1 bunch of fresh asparagus
bunch of fresh spinach  

bunch of celery
bunch of cilantro
4 cups veggie stock  
1 can full fat coconut milk

kale (I used kale I froze from my garden)

1 tablespoon minced garlic 

1 teaspoon dried basil
Himalayan salt (to taste)
hot chillies
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
squirt of sriracha (sadly i was out...but it's a soup essential for me)

Directions:

Chop up all veggies into small or sizable pieces according to preference. Heat up ghee or olive oil in pan, add minced garlic, black mustard seeds, jeera and chopped up onions. 

Saute for about 5 minutes until it the onions start to turn translucent. Add the chopped tomato and mix well for a couple of minutes. Add in the can of  coconut milk. Mix in well and add veggie stock. 

Sprinkle basil into soup and cover pan to bring liquid to a boil (do not over cook).  Before it reaches a boil add in the kale. Once it starts to boil turn heat off. Add the spinach, cilantro, salt, pepper, more basil, and cover for 5 minutes after mixing in well. 

It is now ready to eat!  It pairs great with rice or quinoa (for some protein). It makes for an even more hardy meal, perfect for winter days!

Don't over cook the veggies

Added last

Add the spinach and cilantro after you turn the heat off...then cover for 5 minutes.

Add the spinach and cilantro after you turn the heat off...then cover for 5 minutes.

Ready to serve! This pot lasts at least 2 days of meals.

 I added rice to a serving...for some variety.

Asparagus soup

Ingredients:

1 bunch of fresh asparagus
Bunch of fresh spinach  

celery
4 cups veggie stock 1 can low fat coconut milk

2 tablespoons ghee
1 red onion
1 cup minced leeks, separate whites

1 tablespoon minced garlic 

1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1-2 tablespoons Pamela pancake mix (gluten-free flour alternative)
squirt of sriracha for a kick

Note - Optional - add other lightly cooked veggies such as broccoli, onion, zucchini, carrots...

Directions:

Chop up the onions into small pieces and the asparagus into one inch pieces. Heat up ghee in pan, add minced garlic and chopped up onions. Saute for about 5 minutes until it the onions start to turn translucent. Add the chopped asparagus and mix well for a couple of minutes. Add in the can of low fat coconut milk (or regular for a thicker higher caloric meal). Mix in well and add veggie stock and Panama pancake mix (or flour if you don't mind gluten). Cover pan and simmer on low for 10 minutes until the asparagus is tender (do not over cook). Then turn heat off. Add the spinach, salt, pepper, basil and green onion tops and cover for 5 minutes after mixing in well. It is now ready to eat either chunky or blended. I blended a few cups and mixed them both together for a greener blend.  

 The spinach doesn't take much to cook so always add it after you turn the heat off, then stir it in and close the lid, let it stand for 5 minutes and it will be the perfect texture.

I added more veggies to the dish in this second batch...the more the merrier!

First batch Chunky

 First batch some Blended

 First patch some Chunky poured into some blended

First batch remaining - Chunky and blended mixed together

Delicious!