Three Cheers for Three Soups

October is National Vegetarian Awareness Month and while I am certainly not going to preach for you to put down the meat, I would like to share three of my favorite meat-free soups.

As I’ve mentioned before, soup is my favorite meal during the fall and winter months. The three recipes I am featuring below are ones that I’ve made several times in the past. They are the best.

First, I’ll start with Thai Coconut Soup.

I hate to pick favorites, but this may be my favorite soup.

Photo snapped with my iPhone. Dinner at home. December 15, 2010

There is a Thai restaurant in Fayetteville that serves a soup very similar to this recipe. I was so happy to have found a recipe that I can make at home but still taste just like the one from the best Thai restaurant in town.

Here’s where I found my initial inspiration, but I have since changed it quite a bit. 

Ingredients:

4 cups water

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots

2 teaspoons red curry paste

1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped green onions
8-12 white button mushrooms, sliced

6 cups fat-free, less-sodium vegetable broth

2 (13.5-ounce) cans light coconut milk

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or 1/2 tsp. for more kick) 

Lime wedges for garnish

Preparation:

Heat canola oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and the next 5 ingredients (through garlic) to pan.

Sauté one minute, stirring constantly. Add veggie broth to pan, and bring to a boil. Add coconut milk to pan; reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Add onions, mushrooms and sugar to pan; cook for 2 minutes. Serve with lime wedges.

OPTIONAL: You can add 1 (5 3/4-ounce) package of pad Thai noodles (wide rice stick noodles) to your soup if you prefer. MD loved it with the noodles, but I found it a bit messy to eat.

Next up: Vegetarian Black Bean Chili

Mitchell Darling made this last February for a Super Bowl party we hosted at our house. It was quite a hit. We served the soup in mugs. We have found this to be a much easier way for guests to enjoy sipping soup at a party. Especially when they might be jumping up and down while shouting at a football game.

Served at Super Bowl party hosted at our home. February 6, 2011

Ingredients:

(1) 15-ounce can black beans 1 bunch cilantro, chopped 1 tablespoon cumin seed 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 1 large onion, chopped 1 green bell pepper, diced 2 garlic cloves, minced 4 cups vegetable broth 1-1/2 cups chopped tomatoes 2 cups frozen corn 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup chopped green onion Instructions:

In a large skillet, braise the onion in 1/2 cup water for 2 minutes. Stir in the bell pepper, garlic, into a saucepan and simmer with cilantro and herbs and cook until the onion is soft. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, cilantro and herbs to a large pot. Add the broth, beans, corn and tomatoes. Simmer 30 minutes or longer if time allows (the flavor improves with longer cooking.) Add salt to taste.

#3: Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup

This recipe comes to us via Joy the Baker, my most favorite food blogger.

Photo snapped with my iPhone right before I devoured this soup. February 22, 2011

This soup is about as amazing as this one.

Joy calls this her “dream winter soup”. MD and I certainly agree. It is made with cashew milk, which has got to be the dreamiest thing I have ever made, seen, tasted!

The recipe instructs that after you puree the mushrooms, pour the liquid through a fine mesh strainer to leave some of the remains of the mushroom behind. I did not do this. I couldn’t dare think about leaving behind any of this soup.

You’ll totally slurp this one up!

Find her recipe here!

Spoons up!

Christi