Quick and Easy Lentil Soup (Vegetarian)

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil

1 Onion, diced

3 Carrots, Diced

4 Cups of Vegetable Broth

1 Cup of Dried Lentils

1/4 tsp. Pepper

1/4 tsp.  dried Thyme

1/4 tsp. dried Sage

2 Bay Leaves

1/2 tsp. Sea Salt

1 lemon cut into wedges

Cooking Instructions

In a large stock pot, saute onions and carrots in Olive Oil for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and onions are translucent.

Add dried spices and saute for 1 minute

Add Vegetable Broth and bring to boil.  Once boiling is reached, reduce heat to simmer.  Cover and cook 45 minutes or until the lentils are tender.

Don't stir to often and when you do, be gentle or you will break the skins on the lentils.

Remove Bay Leaves and garnish with lemon wedges that can be squeezed into the soup per individual preference.

Silky Winter Squash Soup (vegetarian)

This is definitely a comfort food for me.  I added Tofu to give it a little bit of protein.

Ingredients

1 Medium Butternut Squash

2 Large Acorn Squash

(these should yield about 8 cups mashed)

2 Tablespoons of Butter

1/2 cup of onion, chopped

32 ounces of Vegetable Broth

14 ounces soft, silken Tofu

8 ounces of low fat cream cheese

1 teaspoon of ground sage

1/2 teaspoon of white pepper

1 teaspoon of sea salt

Garlic Croutons (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut Squash in half and scoop out seeds.  I always save the pumpkin scoopers from Halloween cause they do fast work at this task.

Place squash in a baking pan filled with about an inch of water.  They should be flesh side down.

Bake in oven for 45 minutes or until soft.  Remove from Oven and let cool.

When cool enough to handle scoop squash into a bowl and set aside.

Saute chopped onion in a large pot in butter for 5 minutes.

Add sage and pepper and saute for another minute.

Add Chicken broth and squash to pan.  Bring to a boil and then lower heat to simmer.

Add Cream Cheese and Tofu and heat through.

Using a blender or food processor, puree the soup in batches until smooth and creamy.

Server with Garlic Croutons to Garnish

Kik Alicha - Ethiopian Yellow Split Peas (vegan)

Ingredients

1 Cup of Yellow Split Peas

1 Cup of Vegetable Broth

1 - 1 inch  piece of ginger, peeled and chopped fine

2 teaspoons of finely chopped garlic

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon of Turmeric

2 Tablespoons of Water or Broth

Instructions

Place peas and broth into a stock pot and bring to boil.

Simmer for 30 minutes

Chop onions and saute in olive oil for 3 minutes

Add ginger, turmeric and garlic plus 1 teaspoon of salt and saute 1 minute then add two Tablespoons of water

Cover and let simmer for 5 minutes

Add Peas and Simmer 30 more minutes

Super Easy Pumpkin Coconut Soup (Vegan)

Ingredients

1 Can of Lite Coconut Milk

1 Can Pumpkin Puree

1 Can of Vegetable Broth

1 teaspoon of Coconut Oil

1/2 teaspoon of Curry Powder

1/2 teaspoon of Ground Cumin

1/2 teaspoon of Ground Ginger

1/2 teaspoon of Sea Salt

1 teaspoon of Stevia

Instructions

Finely chop onion

Saute in Coconut Oil for 5 minutes over low/medium heat

Add all other ingredients

Bring to just barely a boil and then lower heat and simmer for at least 15 minutes

Serve hot