Chicken Noodle Soup.

Chicken Noodle Soup.
25 g unsalted butter
3 leeks, trimmed and thinly sliced
150 ml white wine
1.2 l fresh chicken stock
sea salt, black pepper
60 g short vermicelli or other soup noodles
2 chicken breasts, skinned
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp finely chopped parsley
freshly grated Parmesan to serve

Melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan over a lowish heat and fry the leeks for 5-7 minutes until starting to relax, stirring occasionally.
Add the wine, turn the heat up and cook to reduce it by half.
Pour in the chicken stock, season and bring to the boil.
Simmer over a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring in the vermicelli soup noodles halfway through – if you are using a different type of soup pasta then adjust the time accordingly, bearing in mind they should be lovely and soft rather than al dente.

While cooking the soup base, cut out the tendon from the lower side of the fillets and slice them into two thin escalopes.
Now slice across into thin strips.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the chicken and fry for a minute or two to seal it, stirring frequently, then turn the heat up and fry a few minutes longer until starting to colour, seasoning it towards the end.

Stir the parsley and chicken into the soup, taste for seasoning and serve straightaway in warm bowls, accompanied with grated Parmesan.

Diet.

- Joe Wicks Lean in 15 diet slammed by Save Money Lose Weight on ITV | Diets | Life & Style | Daily Express:

- The Best Diets of 2017 (and the Worst), According to U.S. News - Nutrition - Health.com
The healthy DASH diet plan was developed to lower blood pressure without medication in research sponsored by the US National Institutes of Health.
The first DASH diet research showed that it could lower blood pressure as well as the first line blood pressure medications, even with a sodium intake of 3300 mg/day!
Since then, numerous studies have shown that the DASH diet reduces the risk of many diseases, including some kinds of cancer, stroke, heart disease, heart failure, kidney stones, and diabetes.
It has been proven to be an effective way to lose weight and become healthier at the same time.
It is full of fabulous, delicious, real foods.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend the DASH eating plan as a model for healthy eating for everyone!

In January 2016, DASH was named the number 1 for "Best Diets Overall" and "For Healthy Eating", tied number 2 "For Diabetes", and ranked number 3 "For Heart Health" (out of 38 diets tested) in the US News & World Report's annual “Best Diets” rankings.

How to Make the Budwig Diet Mixture - Cancer Tutor:
- Mix (4) Tbs of organic 2% low fat Cottage Cheese with
- (2) Tbs organic cold pressed Flax Seed Oil commonly referred to as (Flax Oil).
It is best (not) to use Flavored, Lignum or Highest Lignum Flax Oil. Two good flax oils are Barlean’s or Spectrum’s cold pressed organic flax oil. This can be found in the refrigerated section of the grocery or health food store. Never off the shelf. Never capsule or flakes. Watch the expiration date.
Blend the flax oil and cottage cheese together with the immersion blender until reaching a creamy quality and the oil has been absorbed. There should be no standing oil.
Then add to this mixture if needed, 1-3 Tbs of low fat milk for a creamery mixture and (stir with a spoon) no blender. This mixture should then be poured over the freshly ground flax seed and mixed together by spoon; again no blender.
The ratio may be adjusted for smaller or larger proportions.
A rule of thumb to keep in mind is one tablespoon of oil to two tablespoons of cottage cheese. 
The amount of milk can be adjusted as needed for consistency and easier blending.
Once the mixture is completed it must be eaten immediately for best results.

Make fresh each time. Here’s the link to the (YouTube) page showing how to combine the Flax Oil and Cottage Cheese in a video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSoddptWL0s

I will not say it tastes good but it has a chance. Just add all kinds of fruit : berries. grapes, bananas, apples etc... cut up in small chunks to the mixtures.
Go to : www.youtub.com/watch?v=RSoddptWL0s  there is a short video that might interest you.

The Budwig Diet - Flaxseed Oil And Cottage Cheese Quark Diet : Budwig Center:
Generally, each tablespoon of Flaxseed Oil (FO) is blended with 2 or more tablespoons of low-fat organic Cottage Cheese (CC) or quark.

- Basis of Dr. Johanna Budwig's oil-protein diet - how to make the flaxseed oil plus cottage cheese/quark mixture & simple homemade quark:

- Macrobiotic Dietary Guidelines - What is the Macrobiotic Diet

- From Cancer To Health: Hippocrates Soup: "Hippocrates Soup"

Homemade minestrone.

From BBC Food - Something for the Weekend recipes - Homemade minestrone. By Simon Rimmer.

The perfect leek and potato soup.

How to make the perfect leek and potato soup | Life and style | The Guardian:
(serves 4)
1 or 2 large baking potatoes or 375g floury potatoes
2 large tbsp butter
450g trimmed leeks (about 3 medium)
1 litre light chicken or vegetable stock, or water
4 tbsp sour cream, to serve
4 tbsp chopped chives, to serve

Heat the oven to 200C (400F) fan.
Prick the potato several times with a skewer, then bake for about an hour and a quarter until cooked through.
Allow to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over a gentle heat.
Rinse the leeks, then roughly chop.
Fry with a pinch of salt until soft and silky, then scoop out a couple of spoonfuls and set aside.

Cut the potato into cubes, skin and all.
Add to the pan and saute for another couple of minutes, then add the stock or water.
Bring to a simmer, then cook for 10 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly, then puree.
Season to taste, then stir in the reserved leeks.
Divide between bowls and top with a spoonful of sour cream and a sprinkle of chives.

Leek and potato: is it the perfect spring soup?
How do you make yours, and how do you like to ring the changes when serving it cold as a fancy vichyssoise?

Then:
- Mary Berry's leek and potato soup - Saga: "soups and stews recipe collection"

- Marmaduke Scarlet: leek and butterbean soup

Chorizo and Chickpea Soup by Jamie Oliver.

Ingredients
olive oil
150 g iberico chorizo sausage , finely chopped
1 onion , peeled and finely chopped
1 clove garlic , peeled and finely chopped
2 sticks celery , finely chopped
500 g fresh spinach , washed and chopped
8 fresh tomatoes , deseeded and roughly chopped
410 g good-quality tinned cooked chickpeas , drained
1.3 litres organic chicken stock
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
55 g quality pata negra, Spanish ham or prosciutto , finely chopped
extra virgin olive oil
2 free-range eggs , hard-boiled

Method
I first tasted this soup when I was in Barcelona.
It may not look like the prettiest dish – it actually looks quite frumpy – but the flavours are amazing.
The smoky spicy chorizo and Spanish ham are lovely with the creamy texture of the chickpeas and spinach.
Definitely give this a go.
You will always get good results with this soup, but you'll come up with something really special if you can get hold of the best quality chickpeas, chorizo and ham.
There's a little bit of chopping to do in this recipe, but you can use a food processor if you don't have much time.

Put a couple of tablespoons of olive oil into a large pot and add the chorizo.
Allow to heat up and cook for a couple of minutes until the fat comes out of the chorizo, then add your onion, garlic and celery.
Turn the heat down and cook slowly for 15 minutes with a lid on and without colouring the onions.
Now take the lid off – the smell and colour will be fantastic.
Stir it around and get some colour happening now.
Add your spinach, tomatoes, chickpeas and chicken stock.
Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for around 40 minutes.
At this point you can remove about a third of the mixture and purée it in a food processor.
Pour it back into the pot, give it a good stir and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Remove from the heat and stir in the pata negra or ham and 2 or 3 tablespoons of good Spanish extra virgin olive oil.
Divide into bowls and grate some hard-boiled egg on top.
The egg was a bit unexpected when I was given this in Barcelona, but it actually adds a lovely richness to it.

Black-Eyed Pea/beans and Vegetable Soup.

Black-Eyed Pea and Vegetable Soup | Lisa's Kitchen | Vegetarian Recipes | Cooking Hints | Food & Nutrition Articles
The black-eyed pea, black-eyed bean or goat pea, a legume.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups dried black-eyed peas
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 cups vegetable stock
1/2 lb (450 g) collard greens, kale, chard or spinach, trimmed and cut into wide strips
juice of 1 lemon (3 tablespoons)
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
fresh ground black pepper
Instructions:
Rinse the black-eyed peas and soak for 8 hours or overnight in several inches of water.
Drain and rinse, then transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with several inches of fresh water.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover.
Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes or until the beans are plump and tender but not falling apart.

Remove from heat and drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
Mash about a third of the beans in a bowl with a potato masher, and set aside with the unmashed beans.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat.
When hot, toss in the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaves and thyme.
Sauté the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until they are softened, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the black-eyed peas, a reserved cup of their cooking liquid, and the vegetable stock.
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to moderately low and simmer for 20 minutes, covered.

Stir in the greens, cover again, and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes or until the greens have turned dark in colour and are just wilted.

Finally, stir in the lemon juice, salt, paprika and cayenne.
Bring up the temperature slightly and simmer for just a couple of minutes more to let the flavors mingle.

Discard the bay leaves, season with black peper, and serve hot as part of any lunch or dinner.

OR:
- Easy Sausage, Kale, and Black-Eyed Pea Soup With Lemon and Rosemary Recipe | Serious Eats

Mushroom Barley Soup.

Mushroom Barley Soup Recipe on Food52 

Layers of flavor, each more concentrated than the last, are the key to this mushroom soup.
You begin by browning pancetta and over the course of about 20 minutes, and then you add aromatic vegetables, tomato paste, both fresh mushrooms and rehydrated porcinis, soy sauce and sherry.
How can it not be great?
The soup simmers for an hour to cook the barley and blend the flavors, and by the time you're done you have a soup whose brothiness belies an intense grid of flavors.

Serves 4 to 6

30 grams dried porcini mushrooms soaked until soft in 1/2 cup hot water (reserve water after soaking)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
60 grams pancetta, chopped
400 grams cremini mushrooms, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/2 cup pearl barley
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups beef stock
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley

In a heavy stock pot add olive oil and saute pancetta until lightly browned.
Add onions, carrots, celery and shallot and saute until soft (about 10 minutes).
Add garlic and mushrooms and saute until mushrooms release some of their moisture.
Remove the rehydrated porcini from the liquid (reserving liquid), chop, and then add to the vegetables in the pot along with the barley and mix to combine.
Make a little space at the bottom of the pan and add the tomato paste, cooking for a minute or two to caramelize.
Add the soy sauce and sherry and simmer vigorously until almost all of the liquid has evaporated.
Then add the stocks and the reserved liquid from the mushrooms.
Season with salt and pepper.
Simmer soup, covered, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until barley is soft.
Add chopped parsley just before serving.

More:
- Creamy Mushroom Soup Recipe on Food52

- Recipe Contest: Your Best Mushroom Soup

Beef Goulash Soup by Louis Szathmáry.

Beef Goulash Soup with Tiny Dumplings
From The Chef’s Secret Cookbook, by Louis Szathmáry.
Chef’s Secret: Be careful with the onions.
Their preparation is the most important part in making the soup.
Cold onions should go into a cold pot with the lard or bacon drippings (Bacon fat liquefies and becomes bacon drippings when it is heated.), then they are heated together.
This is important because if the post and the shortening are not, the onions will start to fry, brown and evaporate instead of turning into a thick soft substance.
The slurry (this is an expression from the food manufacturing industry) is the safest and fastest way to secure a lump-free soup without making a roux.
The melted shortening and paprika mixture gives the color to soup that housewives try for but seldom achieve.
My notes are more personal.
I used canola oil instead of the bacon drippings, omitted the caraway (because I don’t have any), the bell pepper (don’t like them), garlic salt/powder (don’t have any).
I made a double batch, but not the dumplings.
I just didn’t get that far.

For the soup
2 lb. cubed boneless beef, chuck or similar cut
2 cups finely minced onion
6 tbsp. lard or bacon drippings (see above)
1 qt. 3/4-to 1-inch potato cubes
1 small carrot, sliced
1 bell pepper, sliced
1 large ripe tomato, peeled and chopped,
or 4 tbsp canned tomato purée or 2 tbsp. canned tomato paste
1/4 cup flour
2 tbsp. Hungarian paprika
1 tbsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic salt or 1 small pinch garlic powder
1 tsp. caraway seeds
1 small bunch green parsley
1 whole bay leaf

For the tiny dumplings
1 small egg
2 tbsp. water
3/4 cup flour
1 pinch salt

1. mix the 1/4 cup of flour with 1 tbsp. of the Hungarian paprika, 2 tbsp of the salt, the black pepper, garlic salt or powder, and the caraway seeds.
2. Tied the parsley and bay leaf securely together.
3. Sauté the onions over medium heat in a heavy skillet in 4 tbsp. of the lard or bacon dripping. When they become glossy, pour in a cup of water and add the carrot and the bell pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Spread out the meat on a cookie sheet and sprinkle have of the spice-flour mixture over it. Turn over the pieces of meat and try to coat them evenly.
5. Increase the heat to high. Lift the lid and let the water evaporate, so that the onions start to fry.
6. Quickly add the meat to the onions, one fourth at a time. Keep turning the meat with a spatula after each addition, waiting until the red color leaves before adding more meat.
7. When all the meat is added, decrease the heat to low. Cover the pot tightly and let it simmer for 5 minuted. Add 1/2 cup of water and and scrape the bottom of the pan. Cover again and let simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring once in a while.
8. From the remaining flour and spice, make a slurry by adding a little water. Be sure that it is completely smooth and without lumps. Keep it at room temperature.
9. Pour 2 qt. of water over the meant and increase the heat to medium. Add the fresh or canned tomato, parsley, and bay leaf. Once the liquid comes to a boil, stir in the slurry, pouring it in a slow even stream.
10. Cover and again bring the mixture to a boil. Add the potatoes and simmer over low heat until the meat is tender and the potatoes are cooked.
11. Just before serving, remove the parsley and, in a small saucepan, warm up the remaining 2 tbsp. of lard or bacon drippings. Add the remaining 1 tbsp. paprika and stir constantly until it warms and turns a vivid red. Put this in the soup.
12. To prepare the tiny dumplings: Mix the egg, water, pinch of salt, and flour in a small bowl with your hands, or you can use the paddle of an electric mixer. When these ingredients are thoroughly mixed, bring to a boil 1 qt. of water with 1 tsp. of salt. Dip the tip of a spoon into the boiling water. With the wet spoon, take a piece of dough no larger than a hazelnut and drop it into the boiling water by gently hitting the side of the pot with the spoon handle.
13. Dip the spoon into the water again, and repeat the process until all the dough is used. Decrease the heat and cook the dumplings for 3 to 4 minutes. With a colander, drain the dumplings and rinse them with cold water. Shake off all the water then add the dumplings to the soup.

Tuscan Vegetable Soup.

Tuscan Vegetable Soup Recipe : Ellie Krieger : Food Network

Ingredients
1 can low-sodium canellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
2 carrots, diced (about 1/2 cup)
2 stalks celery, diced, (about 1/2 cup)
1 small zucchini, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
32 ounces low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 can no salt added diced tomatoes
2 cups chopped baby spinach leaves
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan, optional
Directions
In a small bowl mash half of the beans with a masher or the back of a spoon, and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat.
Add the onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, garlic, thyme, sage, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and cook stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the broth and tomatoes with the juice and bring to a boil.
Add the mashed and whole beans and the spinach leaves and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes more.
Serve topped with Parmesan, if desired.

More from Ellie Krieger:
- Herbed Green Pea Soup - Ellie Krieger
- Navy Bean Soup with Ham - Ellie Krieger
- Sweet and Spicy Grilled Cheese Sandwiches - Ellie Krieger

Navy (haricot ) Bean Soup with Ham.

Navy Bean Soup with Ham - Ellie Krieger
The navy bean, haricot or pearl haricot bean.

Makes 8 servings
Serving size: 1 ¾ cup

Ingredients
1 pound dried navy beans
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large carrot diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 tablespoon crumbled fresh sage
4 cups low-sodium beef broth
4 cups water
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 oz. lean ham steak, cubed
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
Directions
Pick over the beans and discard any stones.
Soak the beans in cold water for at least 8 hours.
Drain and rinse well.

Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat.
Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds.
Add the carrots, celery and sage and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
Add the beans, beef stock, water, bay leaf, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the beans have begun to soften, about 1 hour.
Add the ham and cook uncovered for about a half hour more, until the beans are soft and the soup has thickened.
Serve garnished with parsley.

Tomato and Red Pepper Soup.

Tomato and Red Pepper Soup – Easy Recipe (houseandgarden.co.uk)
Ingredients
A dash of extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil makes this simple tomato and red pepper soup recipe oh-so special.
Best of all, it takes just 10 minutes to prepare. An easy - and tasty - way to beat the chill.

2tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 large red peppers, seeds removed and roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
600g (21oz) ripe tomatoes, quartered
1 x 400g (14oz) tin chopped tomatoes
1l chicken stock or vegetable stock
1tbsp chopped fresh basil, to garnish
Extra virgin olive oil, to garnish
Directions
1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan.
Sauté the onion, peppers, and garlic for about 5 minutes.
Add the fresh tomatoes and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
2. Add the tinned tomatoes, the stock and 1 (250ml) cup of water.
Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little.
Purée the soup in batches in a food processor or with a hand-held blender.
Strain through a coarse sieve and add a little extra stock, if desired.
4. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Serve hot, and garnished with the basil and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

top tips
Roasting the vegetables gives the soup a delicious flavour.
Simply halve the onions, tomatoes and peppers, place them on a lined baking tray.
Drizzle with a little olive oil and roast in a 200°C (gas mark 6) oven for 60 minutes, turning the onions and peppers once.
Next, peel the skin from the cooked peppers and tomatoes.
Add the vegetables to the stock and continue from step 2.

Spring minestrone.

Rachel Roddy’s spring minestrone with basil pesto reicpe | A kitchen in Rome | Life and style | The Guardian

Serves 4
1 onion (ideally white)
2 celery stalks, with leaves
1 small fennel bulb
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt
1 potato (around 100g)
100g green beans
A parmesan rind
1 litre water
1 courgette
200g white beans, cooked
150g peas (preferably fresh)

For the pesto
50g basil
30g pine nuts or almonds
100ml olive oil
1–2 garlic cloves
50g parmesan or pecorino, grated

- Peel and finely slice the onion, along with the celery and fennel.
In a large heavy-based pan, warm the olive oil over a medium-low heat, then fry the onion, celery and fennel, along with a pinch of salt, until they start to soften – about 5 minutes.

- Peel and dice the potato, then trim and chop the beans.
Add both to the pan – cook for another few minutes, stirring to make sure nothing catches.

- Add the parmesan rind and water.
Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes.
Dice the courgette, add to the pan, and simmer for another 15 minutes.
Add the white beans and cook for another 10 minutes, adding the peas when you think best.
Taste and add salt as necessary.
Take off the heat and set aside, ideally for at least an hour.

- Meanwhile, make the pesto.
Pulse the basil, pine nuts, olive oil, and garlic together in a blender until you have a paste, then stir in the cheese.

- If the soup has become too cool, re-heat it very gently, then divide between bowls, topping each one with a spoonful of pesto.

Fix a bad vegetable soup.

Suggestions to improve the flavor:

Celery salt or celery seed (preferably ground).
Fresh celery is normally part of the mirepoix in veg soup, but it's probably not a good idea to add to a cooked soup, so we're adding the next best thing.
It is amazing the difference celery can make.

White wine vinegar (for acidity and a richer flavor, and pairing with the cabbage and onions)

Dry vermouth or white wine.
Some flavor compounds are more soluble in alcohol than water, so this can help bring to the front additional flavors that are already present but undetectable.

A jigger of sherry or cooking sherry (the latter has salt, so add it before salting the soup).
This is a common suggestion when serving canned soups to guests, to make the soup taste fancier.

Rosemary, thyme, and parsley flakes/stems (adds aromatic and herbal flavors)

Worcestershire sauce (use carefully, it's potent stuff) -- this adds umami and spiciness

Paprika and a pinch or two of cayenne -- adds warmth and back heat, and smokiness

Dijon mustard (use sparingly). Adds front heat and a little richness to the soup

A little more salt and pepper

Parmesan or parmesan rind (for the rind, plan on simmering for a long time to extract flavor).
Self-explanatory here.

Balsamic vinegar -adds sweetness, acid, body, and umami. Use caution, it may conflict with the cabbage here.

My unfailing solution for bland soup is to add a tablespoon of Greek style natural yoghourt to each bowl just before serving.
This lifts any soup to another dimension and is healthy. Top that with freshly chopped chives for presentation.

Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup With Crispy Shiitake Chips.

Slightly adapted from:
- The Food Lab: Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup With Crispy Shiitake Chips | Serious Eats
Ingredients:
15 gram dried porcini or morel mushrooms (optional)
1 Litre Hearty Vegan Stock or store-bought vegetable broth
7 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for serving
1 large leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced (about 3/4 cup)
1 small onions, thinly sliced (about 3/4 cup)
3 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced (about 1 tablespoon)
400 gram white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
300 gram shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced, divided
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon miso paste
1 cup dry sherry or white wine
6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 slices vegan white sandwich bread, crusts removed, bread torn into pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions, for garnish

Here's how it's done!
Start by sweating out your aromatics.
In this case, I'm using a blend of onions, leeks, and garlic, though shallots would work fine as well.
The goal is to soften them as much as possible without browning them, which can give them a distracting sweetness.
Next, add the mushrooms.
In this case I'm using 400 gram of sliced button mushrooms along with 200-300 gram of shiitake, though any combination of fresh mushrooms will work.
In the meantime, I set aside a 20 gram of dried porcini mushrooms to soak in a Hearty Vegan Stock.
The mushrooms cook down until their liquid has evaporated and they begin to sizzle.
Next up: a dash of flour, to help thicken up the broth and get the emulsion going.
In goes the sherry/marsala/white wine.
As it reduces, it adds a layer of complexity, as well as some acidity to brighten up the finished bowl.
Once wine is reduced, I add a couple of my secret vegan weapons: soy sauce and miso paste.
Both are extremely high in glutamates, which lend a savory backbone to the dish.
Now I add the soaked porcini along with the vegetable stock, a few sprigs of thyme, and a couple of bay leaves, letting the whole thing simmer for about half an hour to let flavors develop and the liquid slightly reduce.

In goes the bread to soak (optional).
It doesn't take long.
And be wary: not all bread from the supermarket is vegan-friendly.
Many shelf-stable sandwich breads contain milk solids or whey.
Check your labels!

While the soup is simmering, time to make your garnish of crispy shiitake chips (optional).
You cook thinly-sliced mushrooms over very low heat in oil until they get nice and crisp around the edges and absorb some of that fat.
I hate to make the comparison, but they're almost bacon-like in the way they crunch and release little bits of fat into your mouth as you eat them. (This makes me think of a new project: smoked shiitake chips.)
As soon as they get nice and brown, I drain them on paper towels and season immediately with salt.

When your soup has simmered away, it's time to blend. (optional). (I do not puree the soup!)
Just like making a mayonnaise, you want to emulsify your soup slowly so that your oil gets fully incorporated.
Put the soup in the blender, bring it up to high speed gradually, then pour in a few more tablespoons of oil in a thin, steady stream.
You should see the soup thicken up nicely as you do it.

Season it with salt and pepper.

For the ultimate in luxury, press it through a chinois or fine mesh strainer to get it velvety smooth (optional).
Here's a fun game: garnish the soup with those crispy mushrooms, some sliced scallions, and a drizzle of olive oil and serve it up to any non-vegan you know, and see if they make any comments other than how intensely mushroomy it is, how perfectly creamy it tastes, or just plain how darn delicious it tastes.
I will wear this soup as a hat and post it in a public forum if they do!

Minestrone With Borlotti Beans.

- Recipe of the Week: Minestrone With Cannellini Beans | Theo Randall





Serves 6
2 tbsp olive oil
3 celery sticks, finely chopped
1 red onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely sliced
1 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
300g cavolo nero
1 x 400g tin borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
1 small bunch basil leaves
Salt and pepper

- In a hot heavy based saucepan add the olive oil and the chopped celery carrot onion garlic.
Cook on a low heat 20 min until they are soft.
Add the tomatoes and cook for a further 20 min.

- Separate the leaves of the cavolo nero and the stalks.
In a pot of boiling salted water cook the cavolo nero leaves 3 min - until they are tender .
Drain and keep the cooking water.
Chop any large leaves into bite-size pieces.

Finely chop the stalks and bring to a gentle simmer 3 min and check the seasoning.
Drain and keep the cooking water.

- Add the borlotti beans to the tomato mixture and cook further 10 min.
Add three cups of the cavolo nero cooking water.
Bring to a gentle simmer for 5 min.

- Add the cavolo nero and the stalks with basil.
Check the seasoning and serve.

Chickpea & Sweet Potato Noodle Soup.

Chickpea & Sweet Potato Noodle Soup - My New RootsMy New Roots
Spicy Chickpea & Sweet Potato Noodle Soup
Serves 4-6

1 Tbsp. coconut oil or ghee
2 tsp. ground turmeric
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. caraway seeds
1 tsp. hot smoked paprika
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 pinch saffron (about 40 threads) soaked in 2 Tbsp. hot water
3 medium onions
1 tsp. fine grain sea salt
400ml canned whole tomatoes
170g tomato paste (1 small can)
1 ½ cup dried chickpeas OR 3 cups / 500g cooked chickpeas (about 2 cans)
1 cup dried lentils, soaked overnight if possible
1 medium sweet potato
3 slices lemon
5 cups water
½ cup / 20g cilantro, leaves and tender stems only, plus more for garnish
½ cup / 20g flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems only, plus more for garnish
sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
cold-pressed olive oil and lemon wedges for serving

Directions:
1. If using dried chickpeas, soak them in pure water overnight with an acidic medium, such as apple cider vinegar or lemon juice.
The next morning, drain and rinse.
Place in a large stockpot, cover with fresh water, bring to a boil and simmer until tender, about 45 minutes.
About 30 minutes into cooking, add about a tablespoon of salt.
Drain and rinse.

2. Place saffron threads in a small cup with about 2 tablespoons of recently-boiled water.
Let steep for 10-15 minutes.

3. Peel and dice onions.
Heat coconut oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat.
Add the turmeric, ginger, caraway, paprika, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Stir to blend, and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Lower the heat to medium, add onions and salt, stir to coat.
Cook until translucent and slightly caramelized, about 10 minutes (add a little water to the pot if it becomes dry).
Add the steeped saffron liquid, the canned tomatoes (break up any large pieces), tomato paste, chickpeas, lentils, lemon slices and water.
Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook covered until the lentils are tender, 15-25 minutes depending on whether or not you soaked them.

4. While the soup is cooking, make the sweet potato noodles.
Scrub the sweet potato well under running water if it is organic, and peel it if it is not.
Spiralize the potato if you have a spiralizer, or use a julienne peeler to create long, thin noodle-like strips.
Wash the herbs well, spin dry and roughly chop, removing any tough stems.

5. Add the sweet potato noodles and herbs to the pot, stir to incorporate and let simmer for 5 minutes.
Season to taste.

6. Ladle out desired amount of hot soup into bowls.
Drizzle each serving generously with olive oil and top with more herbs.
Serve with a wedge of lemon, and enjoy.

Borscht, Borsch or Borshch?

Borscht, Borsch or Borshch? | All Things Good
Mystery seems to roll across the vast Russian landscape like a Siberian blanket of snow, spreading a dusting of enigma on nearly every aspect of life – including food. Or so is the case with Borshch, one of the great soups of the world that serves up its own culinary mystery in its seemingly endless varieties and different spellings.

Borscht. Borsch. Bortsch. Borstch. Borshtch. Borsh. Borshch.

But, what exactly is Borsch?

While “cultured” Americans are likely to spell it with a ‘t’ (Borscht) and describe it as “a beet soup served chilled”, with a little detective work we learned that during the long Russian winters, Borshch is served piping hot and is spelled without the ‘t’ (Borshch).

According to Darra Goldstein in her book, A Taste of Russia, there are well over a hundred varieties of the soup with as many as twenty different ingredients – the common ingredient, nevertheless, being beets.

“As a general rule,” she writes, “the farther west one goes, the more beets are added to the soup.”

Here at ATG, “around our culinary table”, our favorite version of Borshch is a Muscovite-style, which is tomato based with a little bit of beef.

There are many variations of borscht!
...for example: Dr. Zhivago Borscht Recipe on Food52:

Broccoli Soup.

300 gr  broccoli (1 crown broccoli)
1 leeks, cleaned and trimmed 
1/2 large onion
1 medium shallots
1-2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
¼ medium apple, diced (optional)

450 ml chicken broth or bone broth
1 tablespoon curry powder (Curry powder is usually a mixture of turmeric, chilli powder, ground coriander, ground cumin, ground ginger and pepper)
Kosher salt
Freshly-ground black pepper

Basic curry powder:
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne/ chilli powder

Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a small pot or Dutch oven.
Add the onion, garlic and pepper to the pan and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 5-6 minutes.
Meanwhile, chop the broccoli into florets.
Remove and discard woody ends of the broccoli stems. Peel the stems and then chop into 2.5cm/1-inch chunks.

Once the onion is softened, add the broccoli, veggie broth, salt and pepper to the pot.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover with the lid slightly cracked and let cook until the broccoli is fork tender, about 10 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat. Use an immersion blender (or food processor) to puree the mixture until smooth.
Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

This basic vegetable soup can be made with any combination of fresh or frozen vegetables, so the soup will taste a little different each time.
– 8 parsnips
1 leeks, cleaned and trimmed 
1/2 large onion
1 medium shallots
1-2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

– 2 teaspoons of cumin seeds
– 1 teaspoon of turmeric
- 2 teaspoons of ground ginger
– 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar
– 2 teaspoons of chilli flakes
– 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds

How to Make Creamy Vegetable Soups.

The Food Lab: How to Make Creamy Vegetable Soups Without a Recipe | Serious Eats
A blueprint for making any creamy vegetable soup.
For instance: a smooth carrot soup flavored with ginger and harissa.

The magic lies in the way that aromatic ingredients can intensify and bring out other flavors, as well as the way in which liquids coat your mouth, giving more direct contact to your taste buds and olfactory sensors, and making for easier release of volatile compounds.

Step 1. Prepare Your Main Ingredient:
- the smaller you cut, the quicker your soup will cook down the line.
- roasting or browning: effective technique for sweet, dense vegetables like sweet potatoes and squashes, or brassicas like broccoli or cauliflower.
How: toss with some olive oil, salt, and pepper, roast at 190C.

Step 2. Choose Your Aromatics:
- alliums—onions, leeks, shallots, garlic.
Diced carrots, bell peppers, celery, thinly sliced fennel, or ginger can work well in certain situations.
- Nearly every soup I make starts with either onions or leeks, along with some garlic or shallot (and sometimes all four!) cooked down in olive oil or butter.

Step 3. Sweat Or Brown Your Aromatics.
- sweating is the process of slowly cooking chopped vegetables in a fat over moderate heat.
- browning starts out like sweating, but generally takes place over higher heat.


Step 4. Add Second-level Aromatics Like Spices And Pastes.
- these are things like ground spices (say, curry powder, ground cumin, or chili powder), and moist pastes (like tomato paste, harissa, or chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce).
The process only takes a few moments—just until the spices start smelling fragrant.
For this carrot soup I'm using spicy harissa paste, along with some cumin and coriander seed.

Step 5. Add Your Liquid.
- chicken stock
- vegetable stock
- vegetable juice
- dairy such as milk or buttermilk
After adding your liquid and main ingredient bring it to a simmer, and let it cook until the vegetables are just cooked through; you want them to be just tender enough to pierce with a knife with no resistance.


Step 6. Purée And Emulsify
- A blender
- An immersion blender
- a food processor should be your last choice.
Exception: potatoes.
Cook the potatoes in liquid, then drain and press them through a ricer, food mill.
Whisking the pressed potato back into the soup to thicken it.

Whatever method you choose to purée, I like to emulsify my soup with some fat during this stage—either butter or olive oil.

Step 7. Finish With Acid And Season.
- important to bring out the best flavor in a recipe is acid.
For most vegetable-based dishes, lemon juice or lime juice is a great option.
Good options would be a dash of cider vinegar, wine vinegar, or my favorite, sherry vinegar.


Step 8. Garnish And Serve.
- a scattering of fresh chopped herbs and a drizzle of olive oil.

Here are some other options:
Flavorful oils, like walnut, pistachio, squash seed, or argan.
- Chopped fresh herbs or tender alliums like parsley, tarragon, chives, or sliced scallions.
- Sautéed vegetables like mushrooms, leeks, or garlic.
- Nuts toasted in olive oil or butter, like almonds, hazelnuts, or pine nuts.
- Simple gremolata-style mixtures, like a blend of parsley, lemon zest, and grated garlic.
- Thinly sliced chilies.
- A drizzle of browned butter.
- Dairy products like sour cream, crème fraîche, or heavy cream; plain or flavored with spices or pastes. Using a hint of the same spice you used earlier in step 4 can be a good way to boost flavor.


Step 9. Rinse And Repeat.
Once you've got these eight basic steps down, you've got what it takes to start creating any number of creamy soups, combining any flavors you like.

Mung Bean and Butternut Squash Soup.

Mung Bean and Butternut Squash Stew Recipe on Food52
Author Notes: In Ayurveda, recipes for mung bean stew like this one are recommended for restoring the health of the digestive tract.
This soup takes advantage of nourishing homemade turkey stock as well as seasonally available butternut squash, but it is easily adapted to accommodate chicken or vegetable stock, as well as many other vegetables.

The Ingredient List:
1 cup split and hulled mung beans
1 tablespoon organic coconut oil or organic ghee (Indian clarified butter)
1 onion, peeled and diced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1 Serrano or other hot chile pepper (seeded for a less spicy stew)
6 cups homemade turkey, chicken or vegetable stock or water
2 cups peeled, seeded and cubed butternut squash (or peeled and diced white or sweet potato)
1-2 large carrots, chopped
2 cups Swiss chard or collard greens, tough stems removed, and then chopped
2-3 teaspoons jaggery or brown sugar
2-3 teaspoons garam masala
1/2 teaspoon tumeric
1 can of organic unsweetened whole coconut milk- optional
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste (the amount of salt needed will depend on how salty your stock is)

Preparation Method:
Run cold water over mung beans in a colander. Drain and set aside.
Warm coconut oil or ghee in a large pot.
Add onion, garlic, ginger and chile pepper and saute until fragrant.
Add stock or water.
Add the mung beans and the squash, then add the rest of the vegetables and the spices.
Stir well to combine all the ingredients and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally, and adding more liquid if it becomes too thick.
Remove from heat when everything is soft and cooked through.
Add optional coconut milk and stir well to combine and heat through.
Add salt, taste, and adjust seasonings before serving.

PS
Food52 Review: Everything about this hearty stew is comforting.
The texture is thick and creamy, the vegetables make it colorful, and the ginger and chile are very warming.
Above all, it's delicious.
What's great about this recipe is that it is very easy to prepare and holds up well in the fridge for a few days, so it's a great option to make ahead of time and know you have something healthful on hand in case of a busy day.

More from world_recipes:
- "Mung Bean And Butternut Squash Stew" Recipes

- How to Sprout Mung Beans: 9 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow