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What's your fave veggi soup please?

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jjdbike

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Hi guys

It's cold, I just went back to work teaching after an extended disability leave and I'm in the mood to cook today!

I would like to cook a big pot (or crock pot) of hearty, healthy (vitamin & antioxidant packed) and savory vegetable soup. I mention vitamins and antioxidants because LOTS of folks at school have colds and flu. My leave, injury and adjustment back to long stressful days seems to be a setup to get sick. My only problem is I've never made vegetable soup, even though I love an aromatic, savory, chunky & hearty soup especially in the dead of winter. . I'm looking to you folks for some good soup recipes (preferably that freeze well). What are your favorites, is anyone willing to help & share?

Thanks in advance!

JD

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If i was making one thing to eat and it had to be a soup without a meat product it would have to be lentil soup. I make mine by sweating and then simmering chopped celerey and carrots with the lentils first and add a few whole tomatoes in the can. Just before its done i add pasta and a big bunch of spinach.

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Thanks very much Fly. I doesn't NEED to be meatless but definitely preferred. Not that I'm vegan by any means I'm just trying to get some big servings of different/various vitamin & antioxidant filled vegetables. I'm not familiar with lentils or lentil soup at all but yours does sound very good!

Other ideas folks?

JD

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sweating and then simmering chopped celerey and carrots with the lentils

At the risk of sounding more like a cooking noob / goog:o can you please share with me what sweating means in this context? Also, how would that hold up to freezing? I love spinach and it adds lots of nutrients but I don't know how that cooked spinach would do frozen.

Thanks again!

JD

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I take a ten quart pot and take carrots, celery, potatoes, and an assortment of dried beans, fresh cut garlic and onions and let it boil for hours. Mixing the concoction through out the day. Boils down an inch or two and it's done. No salt added and in the winter it will also warm the house...


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Simple and delicious. Had it for dinner last night and it will be lunch today. Lentil Swiss Chard Soup

 

http://www.marthastewart.com/317401/lentil-and-swiss-chard-soup

 

As said before Google Vegetable Soup and you'll get thousands of ideas

 

and it freezes fine, will just be a bit thicker when you defrost it, just add a little water.

 

and In the recipe, I use stock, out of a box most of the time. But the water recommended will work fine too.

 

--Pete

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Not strictly vegetable, but my number one choice would be Manhattan Clam Chowder (Many folks say the MCC is just a tomato veggie soup with clams, but I disagree....;)):

 

http://www.stripersonline.com/t/630365/salads-and-soups#post_5514081

 

Beyond that, on the strictly vegetable side, leek and potato would be up there, as would French Onion Soup.

 

I make a great veggie packed chicken and/or turkey soup that contains all sorts of vegetable including kale. Another good soup that contains kale (but also meat) would be kale, potato, and sausage (chourico or linguica) or mini-meatball (Italian Wedding) soup.

 

Something about kale and other bitter greens such as endive or escarole in soup that makes it great (and vitamin packed too!)

"You know the Bill of Rights is serving its purpose when it protects things you wish it didn't."

 

"You can no longer be oppressed if you are not afraid anymore - Unknown"

 

SOL Member #174

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve in Mass View Post



Not strictly vegetable, but my number one choice would be Manhattan Clam Chowder (Many folks say the MCC is just a tomato veggie soup with clams, but I disagree....wink.gif):



http://www.stripersonline.com/t/630365/salads-and-soups#post_5514081



Beyond that, on the strictly vegetable side, leek and potato would be up there, as would French Onion Soup.



I make a great veggie packed chicken and/or turkey soup that contains all sorts of vegetable including kale. Another good soup that contains kale (but also meat) would be kale, potato, and sausage (chourico or linguica) or mini-meatball (Italian Wedding) soup.



Something about kale and other bitter greens such as endive or escarole in soup that makes it great (and vitamin packed too!)



Going to try making your soup today. Wish me luck..


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Going to try making your soup today. Wish me luck..

 

As I mentioned in the recipe, plenty of thyme is key. Also, aside from the carrots, potatoes, onions, and green beans, petite peas are a good addition. Frozen is fine, but PLEASE don't use canned veggies (other than tomatoes)....;)

"You know the Bill of Rights is serving its purpose when it protects things you wish it didn't."

 

"You can no longer be oppressed if you are not afraid anymore - Unknown"

 

SOL Member #174

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One problem with strictly vegetarian soups is that vegetable stocks in general are usually pretty bland. To make one that will have any decent flavor at all takes some advanced planning, in that you need to save up a lot of vegetable "peelings" to use to make your stock. Things such as broccoli/cauliflower stems and leaves, outer leaves of cabbage, carrot peelings and ends, celery leaves and trimmings, radish leaves and trimmings, onion and garlic skins (yes the skins, they add flavor and color to the stock), leek tops, kale or other bitter greens stems, mushroom stems, wilted parsley or other herbs....pretty much anything that you may trim off and/or otherwise toss out when making a salad or vegetable dish.

 

Save all of these up in a freezer bag and keep them frozen until you have enough to make stock.

 

Another good addition to give the stock a "meaty" (umami) flavor is dried mushrooms. Soak the mushrooms in water for a few hours, and aside from adding them into your stock pot, use the soaking water as part of the liquid.

"You know the Bill of Rights is serving its purpose when it protects things you wish it didn't."

 

"You can no longer be oppressed if you are not afraid anymore - Unknown"

 

SOL Member #174

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve in Mass View Post



One problem with strictly vegetarian soups is that vegetable stocks in general are usually pretty bland. To make one that will have any decent flavor at all takes some advanced planning, in that you need to save up a lot of vegetable "peelings" to use to make your stock. Things such as broccoli/cauliflower stems and leaves, outer leaves of cabbage, carrot peelings and ends, celery leaves and trimmings, radish leaves and trimmings, onion and garlic skins (yes the skins, they add flavor and color to the stock), leek tops, kale or other bitter greens stems, mushroom stems, wilted parsley or other herbs....pretty much anything that you may trim off and/or otherwise toss out when making a salad or vegetable dish.



Save all of these up in a freezer bag and keep them frozen until you have enough to make stock.



Another good addition to give the stock a "meaty" (umami) flavor is dried mushrooms. Soak the mushrooms in water for a few hours, and aside from adding them into your stock pot, use the soaking water as part of the liquid.



This is a genius idea!!!! Will give it a try in the future. WOW !!!!


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This should be done even if you are making a poultry or meat based stock.

 

Remember, this is a separate operation from making the soup itself, and all the solid contents are going to be strained out and tossed out after they have given up all the goodness they have to offer, so the quality of the produce you throw in the pot is not of much concern (within reason, of course.) If you find yourself short on stuff the day you want to make the stock, shop the mark down section of the produce department at the super and see what you can find cheap to toss in the pot.

 

Save the quality produce for when you make the actual soup....;)

"You know the Bill of Rights is serving its purpose when it protects things you wish it didn't."

 

"You can no longer be oppressed if you are not afraid anymore - Unknown"

 

SOL Member #174

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Wow so many great ideas. I'm so glad I asked. You guys are such a great sources of ideas, experience and actual recipes. Fisherman are the best!

I'm getting ready to head to the grocery to get the goods to cook the soup today. I'm gonna make the lentil spinach soup with some additional veggies. To Steve's point about pure veggie soup being bland, I'll use veggie stock and add fresh herbs.

Thanks again folks, it's much appreciated!

JD

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