Butternut Squash Soup (WFPB, vegan, GF)

Dreena Burton's Smashing Butternut Squash Soup is amazing.  I love that you just throw everything onto a baking pan.  It was phenomenal even without the optional add ins.  I made a double batch.  It freezes really well.  Just make sure to leave plenty of room at the top of the container for the soup to expand as it freezes.  Next time I would try rotating the squash half way through baking.  We all loved it!  5 out of 5 stars!  

Recipe: https://dreenaburton.com/smashing-squash-soup/

For more: www.feelplantiful.com

Pumpkin Soup (WFPB, vegan, GF)

Pumpkin Soup

After devouring our pumpkin pies over the holiday, I needed a recipe to use up our extra cooked pie pumpkin flesh.  There are many delicious pumpkin soup recipes out there that use coconut milk which contains saturated fat.  We tried The Simple Veganista’s Pumpkin Soup recipe that uses red lentils.  It quickly became a favorite.  While my kids think it’s a shame we did not make more pies with the leftovers (they could eat pie everyday), I absolutely love this recipe.  I was out of fresh parsley and thyme so substituted dry ingredients for those:   ¼ tsp thyme & ½ tsp parsley.  Since my pie pumpkin was already cooked, I added it in after the lentils were cooked.  It freezes well too! 

The recipe calls for Better than Bouillon so I tried it.  I was shocked to see it contains 750mg of sodium per 1 tsp so I grabbed the lower sodium one.  I failed to see the lower sodium contains maltodextrin, a highly processed food additive linked to intestinal health and glucose issues.  Three of us in our family have significant, unpleasant reactions when we consume any amount of maltodextrin so I had to throw it out.  Plus, even the low sodium version has more sodium per 8 fluid ounces than the Pacific Brand foods version I normally buy.  Therefore, I will continue to use the low sodium vegetable broth from Pacific Foods.  I only suggest products I actually use, get no payment from the manufacturer but have included an Amazon affiliate link below. Of course, you can always make a big batch of broth and freeze it so you have ultimate control of the sodium levels. 

Recipe: https://tinyurl.com/yjfy33ef

Low sodium vegetable broth: https://amzn.to/3XGiHLd (affiliate link)

Maltodextrin information for diabetes: https://tinyurl.com/3e43yext

Maltodextrin information for gut health: https://tinyurl.com/bebhe5sz (about 4 min. mark)

For more: www.feelplantiful.com

#thesimpleveganista #plantbasednutrition #wholefoodplantbased #feelplantiful

Creamy Lentil Soup (WFPB, vegan)

Creamy Lentil Soup

When we first started eating whole food plant-based 9 years ago, my kids weren’t exactly bean enthusiasts.  However, I could get them to eat lentils with ease.  While this recipe, a favorite in our house, uses green lentils, there are a wide variety of lentils to try out as you look for anti-inflammatory sources of protein.  Lentils are also rich in iron, zinc and folate.  My personal splurge-worthy lentil is the Black Caviar lentil at Rancho Gordo (although the Black Beluga lentils are amazing too).  I’m not affiliated with Rancho Gordo, just a huge fan!  

Recipe: https://tinyurl.com/3acnkakb

Rancho Gordo: https://tinyurl.com/2h6kd8ff

Lentils: https://nutritionfacts.org/topics/lentils/

For more: www.feelplantiful.com

Slow Cooker Red Lentil Soup (WFPB, Vegan, Gluten-free)

Another family share recipe, this time from my sister-in-law, Katie.  I love the simplicity of this Slow Cooker Red Lentil Soup so had to try it.  What I wasn't prepared for was my children devouring it! They cleaned their bowls.  Now the taste is pretty heavy on the tomato so I added plenty of the healthy amazing vegan cheese to it and some chopped up spinach for my serving.  They ate it with a little bit of Daiya and some tortilla chips broken up into it.  All gave a thumbs up! I substituted shredded sweet potatoes for the carrot (one child is not a carrot fan) and omitted the basil (we were out). Still a huge success!

Ingredients
2 cups dried red lentils
32 ounces low sodium oil-free vegetable broth
3 carrots, cut into chucks or 2 cups shredded sweet potato
1 15 ounce can dice tomatoes
4 ounce tomato paste
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions
Place all ingredients in slow cooker for 8-10 hours on low and 4-5 on high.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili (Vegan, No oil, WFPB)

This is one of our all time favorite soup recipes.  We've been happily eating it all winter long!

Ingredients
2 pounds orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into cubes
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder

2 onions, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 red bell peppers, diced
1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (28 ounce) container diced tomatoes
1 cup water, or more as needed
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained or 3 1/2 cups cooked
fresh cilantro or avocado, for garnish (optional)


Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.  Combine sweet potatoes, chipotle powder in bowl and mix.  Spread sweet potatoes on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Roast until tend about 20-25 minutes.  Allow to cool to room temperature.

2. Cook with water and stir onion, garlic, bell pepper, ancho chili powder, cumin and dried oregano in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add water as needed to prevent vegetable from sticking.  Stir and cook until softened.  Poor tomatoes and water into onion mixture then bring to a simmer.  Add salt, sugar, and cocoa powder.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

3.  Stir black beans and cooled sweet potatoes into the onion-tomato mixture.  Add more water to reach desired consistency.  Simmer until heated through, about 15 minutes.  Serve with cilantro or avocado.

Butternut Squash & Carrot Soup (Vegan, WFPB, Gluten-free)

My sister made this on one of her trips to visit last fall.  Delicious!  It is a favorite of mine. The children don't love it like I do which just leaves more for me to enjoy.  We have frozen the leftovers in small containers and the taste remains the same.  The original recipe calls for soy milk but her version is so good without the milk we don't add it.  To make it a meal, I will pour the soup onto some steamed brown rice.  Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 carrots, sliced
3 stalks celery, diced
2 small or one large butternut squash, peeled and chopped (frozen cubed butternut squash will work in a pinch)
5 cups low sodium vegetable broth (read ingredient labels to avoid added refined oils)
2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
In a large stock pot or dutch oven, sauté onion and garlic in 1/4-1/2 cup of water until soft (5-8 minutes).  Add in carrots, celery and more water cooking an additional 5-8 minutes.  Continue to add water to keep ingredients from sticking to pan.  Add squash, broth and sage.  Stir until squash well coated.  Bring to boil, reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook for 25 minutes or until squash is soft. Mash the contents with a potato masher or blend ingredients in food processor or blender.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve warm.

Almost Uncle Bob's Chili Soup (WFPB, No oil, No sugar)

Chili with Daiya vegan cheese

Over the holidays, my pickiest eater fell in love with my brother's chili soup.  Of course, it was the kind with real meat and William's seasoning.  This is our best attempt to create a chili soup that is comparable in taste and vegan.  While the Daiya cheese shreds are not part of a Whole Foods Plant-Based lifestyle, the kids really enjoy an occasional sprinkle of them. Goes well with Sweet Potato Biscuits.

Makes 7 cups

Ingredients
1 15 ounce can red kidney beans (BPA free cans are a must, otherwise use 1 3/4 cup cooked beans)
1 15 ounce can black beans
1 15 ounce can pinto beans
1 28 ounce container Pomi tomatoes
Cooked mushrooms and onions, optional
Water, for desired consistency

Seasoning
1 tablespoon mild chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a crockpot.  Cook on high until warm enough to eat or on low for a longer amount of time to reach a good temperature.  Add water as needed to create desirable consistency.  It tastes great reheated.

Nutrition Information
1 cup serving:  205 calories, 4g sugar, 14g protein, 13g fiber, 11mg iron

Rating
5 out of 5 family members love it