Tag: Hearty

Hearty Vegetable Soup!

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Hearty Vegetable Soup!! ~ (Serves 10-12)

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Hello everybody! It feels like it’s been awhile and it has been, sorry about that. It’s officially autumn and October, oh yes and my birthday is coming soon too, woot woot!
About this hearty soup…
Lovely fall and its cool and brisk mornings or chilly evenings. Not to mention all the rain we had last week which makes me want nothing more than a bowl of warm and filling soup. Without exaggeration this soup is as hearty as it gets, truly meal in itself. The veggies, beans and barley in this soup are very generous and easily serves 10-12 depending on portion/bowl size. This is the perfect make ahead, keeps well and we have leftovers for a few days 🙂 . I hope you enjoy – stay warm!

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Hearty Vegetable Soup!

  • Servings: 10-12
  • Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:
 2-3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 large Sweet Onion, chopped
1 bunch of Leeks (4 total), white-light green parts only, sliced and rinsed well
5 cloves Garlic, minced
1 handful Fresh Parsley, chopped
4 Carrots, sliced
2 Red Potatoes, chopped
1 Tbsp Salt
1 Tbsp dried Oregano
½ Tbsp Pepper
4 Quarts Vegetable Broth/Stock
1 Cup Barley
1 (28 oz can) Diced Tomatoes
4 Large Leaves – Collard Greens, stems removed/chopped
2 heads of Fresh Broccoli, chopped/florets
1 Zucchini, chopped
6 White Button Mushroom, sliced
1 (10oz) Frozen Peas
1 (15.5 oz can) Red Kidney Beans
1 (15.5 oz can) Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans
1 (15.5 oz can) Corn

Directions:
 -In large stock pot, heat Olive Oil over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
-Stir in Leeks and Garlic then sauté for another 2 minutes.
-Add carrots, potatoes and parsley – sauté for another 3-5 minutes. Then add Salt/Pepper and Oregano.
-Add Vegetable Broth/Stock and bring to boil. Stir in Barley, Tomatoes and Collard Greens – cover then reduce heat to simmer for about 50 minutes.
-Add mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli, beans, corn and frozen peas – cover and continue a slow boil for another 10 minutes.
-Let stand for 10-20 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

A Ladle of Love & Health!
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Hearty Minestrone Soup

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Hearty Minestrone Soup (Serves 8 – Large bowls)

When I think of soup I immediately think of my dad. Papi would always make soup in the winter. There was a time that he lived alone and would make large batches of soup, which he’d have for dinner throughout the week and would sometimes take a thermos to work for lunch. I imagine there are thousands of variations of this soup. True to its vegetarian origins this version is truly a hearty Vegan classic. I use organic/non-gmo ingredients in this recipe. This soup will warm your tummy and fill you with a good source of protein and fiber among others nutrients.

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Ingredients:

3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Large White or Sweet Onion, chopped
3 Celery Ribs, chopped
4 Small Carrots or 2 Large, scrubbed and sliced
1 Large Zucchini, cleaned and chopped
5 Garlic cloves, minced
3 Quarts Vegetable Broth
1 (15.5 oz can) Dark Red Kidney Beans
1 (15.5 oz can) Light Red Kidney Beans
1 (15.5 oz can) Garbanzo Beans
1 (28 oz can) Diced Tomatoes
1 (16 oz pkg) Frozen Cut Green Beans
1 (10 oz pkg) Frozen Spinach
2 Tsp + 2 Tbsp Salt
1 Tsp Pepper, fresh cracked/ground
½ Tsp Cayenne Pepper (reduce the amount for less kick)
1 Tsp Italian Seasoning
½ Tsp Ground Sage
½ Tsp Oregano
½ Tsp Dry Basil
2 Cups Pasta (I used med. shells this time)

Directions:

In a large stockpot (at least 12 quart) heat olive oil and sauté onions let them sweat a few minutes until translucent. Add celery and carrots then sauté about 2-3 minutes. Add 2 Tsp salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic and zucchini and sauté for another minute.

Add vegetable broth, tomatoes, kidney/garbanzo beans and bring to slow boil about 10 mins. Finally, add green beans, spinach, pasta and seasonings (remaining salt, Italian, sage, oregano and basil) continue on a low boil/simmer until pasta is cooked through and green beans are done about 8 minutes. Enjoy!

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Note: This post utilizes canned beans and frozen spinach/green beans, but I have made this also utilizing dried/soaked/cooked beans and fresh spinach/green beans. Substitute canned beans for 1 ½ – 2 cups of cooked beans. For the spinach and green beans I have just thrown in two big handfuls or fresh baby spinach and a bunch of fresh green beans (trimmed and cut in half) in the last few minutes of cooking.