Corn and Cauliflower Soup

Makes 10 servings. 

Creamy, light, and delicious, this is a soup that can be made any time of year and serves many.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 Vidalia onions

• 4 garlic cloves

• 1 small cauliflower, about 1½ pounds

• ¼ teaspoon chili powder, optional

• 1 pound frozen corn, thawed

• One 13.5 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk

• 4 cups vegetable broth

• 3 -4 tablespoons lime juice

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper 

• Toasted sunflower seeds for garnish

PREPARATION:

Peel the onions and garlic and cut into large pieces.

Cut off and discard cauliflower stem. Cut the head into large pieces and rinse.    

In a large saucepan heat the olive oil, add onion, cauliflower, and chili powder. Sauté for a few minutes.

Add the corn, coconut milk and 3½ cups of broth. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and cook covered for about 25minutes. 

Puree the soup, in batches, in a Vitamix until very smooth.

Adjust the consistency with the reserved broth as needed and season to taste with lime juice, salt and pepper.

NOTE:

This soup freezes very well. When reheating, whisk it as it boils to bring back the creamy consistency. 

Creamy Tomato Soup

Makes 4 servings. 

With the use of Vitamix, it is no longer necessary to skin or to strain the soup to get a creamy  consistency. Ripe flavorful tomatoes are desirable.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 pounds cherry tomatoes

• 1 red onion

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 teaspoon honey

• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

• 20 basil leaves, plus some for garnish

• Kosher salt,

• Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. 

2. Rinse tomatoes and place in an ovenproof dish. Peel onion, slice and add to the tomatoes along with the olive oil, honey, vinegar, basil, salt and pepper. Combine all very well.

3. Roast the tomatoes for about 30 minutes. They will be soft.  

4. Puree the tomato mixture in two batches in a Vitamix, until smooth. This may take a bit longer because of the tomato skin and seeds.  

5. Season to taste.

6. Serve garnished with basil leaves.

Carrot Soup with Ginger

Makes 4 servings. 

This creamy, silky soup has an intense flavor of carrots and ginger. It can be served hot, cold or at room temperature. It also freezes very well.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 pound carrots, peeled, sliced

• 1 vidalia onion, peeled, sliced

• 2 inches ginger peeled, sliced

• 2 cups carrot juice

• 1½ cups vegetable broth

• 3 tablespoons lime juice

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Toasted sunflower seeds for garnish

PREPARATION:

1. In a medium saucepan heat the olive oil. Add the carrots, onion, ginger and sauté for a few minutes.

2. Add carrot juice and 1 cup vegetable broth. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover and cook until the carrots are soft, about 25 minutes.

3.  Puree in a vitamix until smooth. Adjust the consistency with the reserved broth. Season to taste with lime juice, salt and pepper.  

NOTE:

If you freeze the soup, be sure when you go to reheat it that you whisk it as it is boiling to bring it back to its silky texture.

Sweet Potato Soup

Makes 4 generous servings.

A soup for all seasons, this recipe can be served hot, cold or at room temperature. It freezes well. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, about 1 pound

• 1 medium Vidalia onion

• 3 ½ cups vegetable broth

• ¾ cup coconut milk

• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1 -2 tablespoons lemon juice

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Sunflower seeds toasted for garnish

PREPARATION:

1. Peel the potatoes and onion and cut into thick slices.

2. Place the potatoes, the onion, 3 cups of broth, coconut milk and nutmeg into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover and cook until the potatoes are soft, about 25 minutes.

3.  Puree in a Vitamix until smooth. Adjust the consistency with the reserved broth and season to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper. 

NOTE:

If you freeze the soup, be sure to whisk it as it is boiling to bring it back to its silky texture.   

Broccoli Cannellini Soup

Makes 6 generous servings. 

Thick, creamy, hearty and nutritious, this soup freezes very well.  

INGREDIENTS:

• I bunch broccoli, about 1½ pounds

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 onion, coarsely chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

• One 15.5 can cannellini beans, drained

• 6- cups vegetable broth

• 2 tablespoons lime juice

• Kosher salt,

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Chives for garnish, snipped with scissors

PREPARATION:

1. Cut the broccoli into medium florets. Trim the stems, peel, and also cut into pieces; rinse all.   

2. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan, add onion and garlic and sauté for a few minutes.  Add the broccoli, the beans and 6 cups of broth.  Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and cook covered for about 20 minutes or until the broccoli is soft. 

3. Puree in a Vitamix and season to taste with lime juice, salt and pepper. 

4. Serve garnished with chives.  

Red Split Lentil Soup

Makes 4 -6 servings. 

This is a hearty, thick, and nutritious winter soup, which also freezes very well.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped (See Note)

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

• 2 carrots, coarsely chopped

• 1 potato, coarsely chopped

• 2 cups red split lentils

• 6 cup vegetable broth

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onion and garlic for a minute.

2. Add the turmeric and the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and cook, covered, for about 40 minutes, until the lentils are soft. It is important to stir the soup from time to time.

NOTE:

I chop the vegetables in a food processor fitted with the steel blade.

The garlic and onion I chop together, carrots and potato separately. Be sure to quarter the vegetables first.

White Vegetable Soup

Makes 4 -very generous servings . 

This is a non-pureed, thick vegetable soup of only white vegetables. The addition of grainy mustard and lemon juice gives the soup a nice bite. It’s especially delicious with a crusty bread as the cold season approaches.

INGREDEINTS:

• 3 leeks

• 4 cloves garlic

• 1 parsnip

• 1 small celery root, about 1 pound

• 1 small cauliflower

• 4 tablespoons extra -virgin olive oil

• 4 cups vegetable broth

• 1 ½ tablespoon grainy mustard

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• Leaves from 6 thyme sprigs

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Cut off and discard dangling roots and tough dark green leaves of the leeks. Cut the white and some of the green parts into thin slices. Place in a sieve and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to remove the sand.

2. Chop garlic coarsely

3. Peel the parsnip and cut into small cubes

4. Peel the celery root, remove the dark embedded spots and cut into small cubes. Cut the cauliflower into small florets. 

5. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and sauté all the vegetables, stirring, for a few minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat, cover, and boil gently for 30 minutes until the vegetables are soft. 

6. Add the mustard, lemon juice, thyme, salt and pepper and season to taste.

Creamy Carrot Soup

Makes 4 servings.

Coconut milk gives this soup an unusual taste and silky texture. It is good cold or hot and freezes very well.  

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 onion, sliced

• 6  large carrots, about 1 ½ pounds, peeled and sliced

• One 13.5 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk

• 2 cups vegetables broth

• 2-3 tablespoons lime juice

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Cilantro leaves for garnish

PREPARATION:

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil then add the onion and carrots, and sauté for a few minutes. Add coconut milk and 1¾ cups vegetable broth. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and boil gently covered for 20 minutes. The carrots will be soft.

2. Puree in a Vitamix until smooth. Adjust the consistency with the reserved broth.

3. Season to taste with lime juice, salt and pepper.

NOTE:

If you freeze the soup, be sure to whisk as it is boiling to bring back its silky texture.

Simple Gazpacho

Makes 4 servings.

Nothing is more welcoming on a hot summer’s day than a refreshing cold soup. Mercifully this THICK gazpacho is not dependent on the tomato season, which can be very brief.   

If you would like to make the gazpacho more wholesome, add a variety of condiments, such as diced Kirby cucumbers, seeded and diced bell peppers and croutons. I also recommend serving this soup hot.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped

• 14 oz cherry tomatoes

• One carton, 26.46 ounces strained tomatoes (Pomi)

• 2-3 tablespoons lime juice

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• Kosher salt

• Tabasco, optional

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Snipped chives for garnish

PREPARATION:

1. Place the onion in a bowl and cover with boiling water (this step removes some of the acidity). Let stand for 15 minutes then drain and press to extract all the water.  

2. Place the onion, cherry tomatoes, strained tomatoes, lime juice and olive oil in a Vitamix and puree until very smooth. Season with Tabasco, sugar, salt and pepper and chill for at least 2 hours.

3. Before serving adjust the seasoning.

4. Garnish with chives snipped with scissors.

Mushroom Chestnut Soup

Makes 6 servings. 

This thick, creamy soup has a distinct flavor of mushrooms. It is perfect for the fall/winter season.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ounce dried imported porcini mushrooms

• 1 cup boiling water

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 onion, coarsely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

• 1 pound white cultivated mushrooms

• 3½ ounces vacuum packed roasted chestnuts (See Note)

• 4½ cups vegetable broth

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, approx

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Dill or chives, snipped with scissors for garnish

• Truffle oil for garnish

PREPARATION:

1. Place the dried mushrooms in a small bowl and pour boiling water over them. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes. Strain the soaking liquid through a fine sieve, squeezing mushrooms over the sieve to extract more liquid (if you do not have a fine mesh sieve, line your sieve with paper towel).  

2. Wash the mushrooms carefully to remove any sand and set aside.  

3. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan, add the onion and garlic and sauté for a few minutes. 

4. Wipe the white mushrooms with a damp paper towel, slice in half and add to the onion/garlic  

5. along with the porcini mushrooms and chestnuts. Sauté for a few minutes. Add the mushroom liquid and 4 cups of the vegetable broth.

6. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  

7. Puree in a Vitamix in 2 batches until very smooth. 

8. Adjust the consistency with the reserved broth and season with lemon juice, salt and pepper. 

9. Garnish with dill, or chives and truffle oil.

NOTE:

I use Galil brand chestnuts. They come vacuum packed in 3½ ounce packages. 

Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup

Makes 4-6 servings. 

If you enjoy the pure taste of tomatoes you may want to try this recipe, which I make at the height of the tomato season. In this soup I do not add any liquid and the quantity that is produced will depend on the juiciness of the tomatoes.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 head garlic

• 2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes

• 2 pounds ripe regular tomatoes

• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 6 sprigs thyme, plus some petals for garnish

• ½ teaspoon sugar

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. 

2. Peel the garlic. Rinse, core and cut all the tomatoes into large pieces. Place garlic, tomatoes and thyme in a large pan, about 9x13x2. Drizzle with oil. Season with salt and pepper. 

3. Roast for 1 hour. The tomatoes will be very soft. 

4. Puree until smooth in a Vitamix.

5. Season with sugar, salt and pepper.

6. Serve garnished with thyme.

Creamy Gazpacho

Makes 4 servings. 

This delicious, easy to make creamy gazpacho is best made with local farm tomatoes, which unfortunately, are usually not available until the end of July through early October. This soup is really a faux gazpacho because I cook the soup for a short time, then I puree it and serve it chilled with condiments. It can also be frozen, but be sure to whisk it well to bring back its creamy consistency.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 onion, coarsely chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

• 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, cut into pieces

• 1½ pounds ripe tomatoes

• 1½ cups tomato juice

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground pepper

• Kirby cucumber, diced (See Note)

• Bell pepper, seeded, diced

• Snipped chives with scissors

PREPARATION:

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for a few minutes.

Add the sun-dried tomatoes.

Rinse the tomatoes, remove the core, cut into small pieces and add to the saucepan along with the tomato juice. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat and cook, covered, 15 minutes. The tomatoes will be soft.  

Puree in a Vitamix until silky and smooth.  Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

Chill and garnish with the cucumber, bell pepper and chives.

NOTE:

I prefer to use Kirby, Persian or English cucumbers because they have fewer seeds and are less watery.  

Cauliflower Soup with Coconut Milk

Makes 6 servings. 

This soup is good for all seasons. It’s creamy, light and delicious, with a distinct flavor of turmeric and coconut milk.  Depending on the season, I serve it hot, room temperature or even cold.  

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 Vidalia onion, coarsely chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

• 1 large cauliflower, about 2 ½ pounds

• 2 ¾ cups vegetable broth

• 1 cup coconut milk

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon, lime juice, approx.

• Toasted sesame seeds for garnish.

PREPARATION:

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and garlic. Sauté over low heat for a few minutes.  

2. Cut off the green leaves of the cauliflower and the heavy stem. Discard both. Cut the head into small pieces and rinse.

3. Add to the onion and sauté for a minute.

4. Add 2 ½ cups of the broth, coconut milk, turmeric and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and cook, covered, for about 25 minutes. The cauliflower will be soft.  

5. Puree in two batches in a Vitamix until smooth.

6. Adjust the consistency with the reserved broth and season to taste with salt, pepper, crushed red pepper and lime juice.

Winter Vegetable Soup

Makes 6-8 servings. 

Nourishing, hearty, with a rich flavor of vegetables, tomatoes and basil, this soup freezes very well and is convenient to have on hand for unexpected guests.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 onion

• 4 garlic cloves

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 parsnips

• 2 carrots

• 1 zucchini

• 6 cultivated mushrooms

• 1 small cauliflower

• 1 ½ cups chopped tomatoes, Pomi brand (See Note)

• 3-4 cups vegetable broth

• One 15.5 can butter beans, drained (See Note)

• 2 cups tightly packed basil leaves, torn to small pieces

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper  

PREPARATION:

1. Peel and cut the onion and garlic into large pieces. Chop coarsely in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. 

2. In a large saucepan heat the oil and sauté the onion/garlic for a few minutes.  

3. Peel and cut the parsnips and carrots into large pieces. Chop coarsely and add to the saucepan. 

4. Wipe the zucchini, trim the ends, cut into large pieces. Chop coarsely and add to the saucepan. 

5. Wipe the mushrooms with a damp towel, quarter, chop coarsely and add to the saucepan. 

6. Separate the cauliflower into small florets and also add to the saucepan.  

7. Sauté all for a few minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, vegetable broth, butter beans and basil. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and cook covered for about 30 minutes or until all the vegetables are soft.

NOTE:

I chop all the vegetables SEPERATELY in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. It is important to cut the vegetables into large pieces before chopping.   

I use Pomi brand chopped tomatoes. They come in cartons. Leftover tomatoes can be frozen. 

I use Goya brand beans.  

Savoy Cabbage Soup

Makes 6 generous servings. 

Freezer friendly, thick, nutritious and great on a cold, winter day, this soup can be a meal in itself if cooked with meat. I chop all the vegetables in a food processor to save a lot of time.

INGREDIENTS:

• ¾ ounce dried porcini mushrooms

• 1 cup boiling water

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 onions, quartered

• 4 cloves garlic, quartered

• 2 carrots, cut into large pieces

• 1 small Savoy cabbage, about 11/2 pounds or regular cabbage.

• 6 cultivated mushrooms

• 14.5 ounce can crushed tomatoes

• 4 cups vegetable broth

• Small bunch dill, tied with a string, leave some for garnish

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Place the dried mushrooms in a small bowl, pour boiling water over the mushrooms, cover and let stand for about 20 minutes. Strain soaking liquid through a sieve lined with a paper towel, squeezing mushroom over the sieve to extract more liquid. Set liquid aside. Wash soaked mushrooms carefully to remove any sand, pat dry with paper towels and chop coarsely. 

2. Chop the onions and the garlic coarsely in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Do the same with the carrots. Discard the outer leaves of the cabbage, quarter, core and chop coarsely.   

3. Wipe the cultivated mushrooms with a damp paper towel, quarter and chop coarsely.

4. IT IS BEST TO CHOP EACH VEGETABLE SEPARATELY.    

5. In a large saucepan heat the oil, add the onions, garlic and carrots and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add the cabbage, both mushrooms, mushroom liquid, tomatoes, vegetable broth and dill.   

6. Bring to a boil over high heat, lower the heat then cook gently, half covered for about 30 minutes. The Savoy cabbage will be a little crunchy.   

7. Season to taste with salt, pepper. 

8. Garnish with dill snipped with scissors.

Tomato Soup

Makes 2 servings. 

This is a soup without the addition of any liquid. The taste and the consistency is totally dependent on the quality of the tomatoes.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound ripe tomatoes

• 2 garlic cloves, quartered

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 5 thyme sprigs, plus leaves from 2 sprigs for garnish

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon sugar

PREPARATION:

1. Rinse, core and slice the tomatoes. Place them in a saucepan along with the garlic, olive oil and thyme.

2. Bring to a gentle boil, cover and cook over low heat until the tomatoes are very soft, about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.  

3. Discard the thyme and puree in a Vitamix until very smooth.

4. Season with salt, pepper and sugar. Garnish with thyme. 

Corn and Yellow Squash Soup

Makes 4-6 servings. 

I prefer to make this soup when fresh local corn and yellow squash is plentiful. I do not puree this soup.  I like the rough texture, the touch of sweetness to the flavor, and the lovely golden color.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 ears of fresh corn

• 6 cups of water

• 3 leeks including some green part

• 3 garlic cloves

• 3 small yellow squash, about 1 pound

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons lime juice, approx.

PREPARATION:

1. Shuck the ears of corn and set aside.

2. Put the cobs of corn in a saucepan, add the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat, cover and boil gently for 30 minutes. 

3. Cut off and discard the dangling roots and most of the green parts of the leeks. Discard 2 tough outer leaves and cut the white and green parts into cubes. Place in a sieve and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to remove all the sand. Drain well.

4. Chop the garlic finely.

5. Rinse the squash, trim the ends and cut into small cubes.  

6. In a medium saucepan sauté the leeks and garlic for a few minutes. Add the corn and the squash, sauté for a minute. Add all the cob stock, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes.