POTATO + LEEK + WHITE BEAN SOUP

I love soups this time of year! I've been making them like crazy lately. They're just so easy to throw together. And when it's time to clean out the fridge, I can almost always pull something together with a few stocked canned goods. They've made life a little easier around here with all the hustle and bustle over the holidays. So in comes this crazy good soup loaded with leeks, potatoes & white beans. I'm in love with leeks at the moment and used two large ones here. They add a wonderful mellow onion flavor that pairs perfectly with the other ingredients. I've made this soup a few times over the past couple of weeks and found that I love tarragon as my herb, along with savory. But don't worry, if you don't have either of these two herbs on hand, thyme and/or herbs de provence will work perfectly in their place. The latter are two herbs I always have stocked! The preferred potato to use would be red or Yukon gold. For the beans, I would stick with cannellini or great northern but chickpeas (garbanzo beans) would be ok too. If you manage to have left overs, the flavors get even better. Soup will thicken a bit after a couple of hours (here) from the potatoes which is nice (soup shown here is right after cooking and broth is thin). So gather your ingredients and get ready for a simple and flavorful soup to keep you warm and feeling your best any time of year!

Sauté your leeks, add spices and cook a minute more. Add the remaining ingredients and cook until potatoes are fork tender. And voila...soups on! It's that easy...

 POTATO + LEEK + WHITE BEAN SOUP

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. yukon gold potatoes, cubed 1/2 inch
• 2 medium/large leeks, sliced and dirt removed (white & pale green parts only)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or 1/4 cup water (water saute)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons each dried tarragon & savory or 1 tablespoon herbes de provence or thyme
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• 3 cups cooked or 2 cans (15 oz.) cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• mineral salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste

In a large pot or dutch oven, heat oil/water over medium-high. Add leeks and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in herbs and spices, cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add in potatoes, beans, broth and salt & pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender. Let cool a few minutes before serving.

Serve with topped with chopped parsley if you like and a slice of crusty bread to soak up the juices.

Serves 4 - 6

Notes:

You can change up the herbs here with what you have on hand. I really love the tarragon and savory here but starter cooks may not have them on hand so the herbs de provence and thyme will be great too!

Here is a simple guide to slicing and cleaning leeks: How To Clean Leeks 

RUSTIC CABBAGE, POTATO & WHITE BEAN SOUP

Wondering what to do with a half head of cabbage and potatoes I had sitting around brought about this hearty soup. It's brimming with vegetables, white beans and spices and is enough to feed a small crowd. Add some socca or crusty bread to the meal and you're all set. The socca I made here was seasoned simply with salt & pepper and can be whipped up while the soup is cooking. It's a nice accompaniment, not so much of a soaking bread like crusty bread, but delicious and filling. The soup in itself makes for a complete, nutritious meal with the beans adding a good amount of protein. I used leeks in this recipe, they lend a nice mellow onion flavor, but you can sub in an onion if you like. This turned out to be a great place to use up the leftover produce. I love cabbage in soups, this will be made many times to come. I'm happy to share another hearty soup for the recipe collection to inspire your senses, keeping you plant strong and loving it! 

Feel free to change up the vegetables. If you're missing one or two, you can still pull this together and have a wonderful soup. If you can't find leeks, use 1 medium onion, diced, in its place. For the cabbage, use your favorite here. I happen to have regular green cabbage on hand but savoy cabbage would be great too. 

For this time around I chose to use herbes de provence. I love the combination of spices, especially the fennel that I find in this blend from The Spice Hunter. I also added in a teaspoon of fennel here because I love it. Feel free to use any spices you like as most of them will work well here. You can use 2 - 3 teaspoons of an Italian blend or combine a few herbs using 1 teaspoon each: thyme, oregano, rosemary. You can also use sage, marjoram or parsley, savory, etc...in any combination as long it equals about 1 tablespoon. 

When using Better Than Bouillon vegetable broth base, I never use the recommended serving size. I use just enough to flavor the water. For this recipe I used just under 2 teaspoons. This makes my jar last a lot longer and reduces the 'would be' sodium content per recipe. I've just recently (the last six months or so) been using their vegetable broth base and love it!

This is a one pot soup that's so easy to pull together. Saute the leeks, celery and carrots, add spices and garlic, cook a bit more. Add remaining ingredients ending with cabbage and white beans last as pictured above. Cover and simmer until cabbage and potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Serve with bread of choice. Enjoy often!

RUSTIC CABBAGE, POTATO & WHITE BEAN SOUP

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup water or 2 tablespoons olive or grapeseed oil (for sauteing)
• 2 leeks (use white & pale green parts), sliced and rinsed 
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon herbs de Provence OR 1 teaspoon each thyme, rosemary, oregano
• 1 can (15oz) diced tomatoes 
• 6 - 7 cups vegetable broth or water
• 2 medium gold potatoes, diced
• 1/2 head large cabbage, sliced (savoy or green)
• 3 cups cooked white beans or 2 cans (15oz), drained and rinsed (use cannellini, great northern or navy) 
• mineral salt & fresh cracked pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley, to garnish

Prepare your vegetables. After slicing your leeks, be sure to place them in a colander and rinse them well under cool running water to remove any dirt and sand that may have collected between the leaf sheaths. If there's a lot of dirt, place sliced leeks in a bowl of cool water and gently swish the leeks around to dislodge any unwanted remnants. Drain water by gently tilting the bowl with one hand and holding your hand over the leeks with the other so they don't fall out, or simply drain into a colander. Repeat until leeks are clear of dirt and sand. Here is a good tutorial from, The Kitchn, on how to wash and prep your leeks. Lastly, another method you may try is this: Slice off the root and the dark green parts. Slice in half vertically. Run under cold running water, opening up the layers as you rinse. Lay on flat surface and slice thinly hortizontally. 

In a large dutch oven or stock pot, heat water/oil over medium to medium-high heat, add leeks, carrots and celery, saute for 5 minutes. Smells delicious already! Add garlic and spices, saute for 1 minute more or until fragrant. Add tomatoes, broth, potatoes, cabbage and beans, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, until potatoes and cabbage are tender. Taste for seasoning adding salt & pepper as needed. 

Serve topped with parsley and a serving of socca or crusty bread. Enjoy!

Serves 6 - 8.

Notes: 

As noted above, change the herbs to whatever you have on hand. You could also use an Italian blend seasoning if you like. I also like to add in a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.

I would suggest using the biggest pot you have for ease, this makes quite a bit of soup.

If leeks are not available, sub in 1 medium onion, diced.

Zucchini & Sweet Potato Vichyssoise

This was such a beautiful and easy soup to make. It's so basic, yet packs tons of flavor. Simple and delicious...it's a welcome addition to the recipe collection. Traditionally Vichyssoise is made with regular potatoes, but once I starting researching for this recipe I came across a few recipes using sweet potatoes and that was that! This recipe is largely adapted from Ina Garten. Vichyssoise, pronounced vish-e-swaz, is traditionally served chilled but I found this to be amazing warmed or at room temp. Every time I've made this it has been gone before it could ever be refrigerated. I encourage you to enjoy this soup however you prefer. It's lovely with a slice of toasted crusty bread for dipping and a nice glass of lemon water.

Sweet potatoes with its bright orange flesh, some varieties have purple, are highly nutritious, full of anti-oxidants, vitamins A & C and trace minerals. They fit in perfectly with the other ingredients while giving this soup a warm golden color. You can either peel your sweet potatoes or leave the peel on for added fiber. 

Zucchini is a vegetable found year round here in California and I hope you find it just as easily wherever you're located. It's an easy and nutritious addition to the soup. 

I love leeks with their mellow onion flavor and will use them wherever I can. Leeks are also highly beneficial to the human body and should be enjoyed often. They do tend to trap dirt in their stalks so be sure to rinse well after slicing removing any debris. Place them in a bowl of cool water, swish them around separating the rings and rinsing well. Or simply use cool running water and a colander. 

Cups and cups, and cups of simple ingredients to be made into a soup you can enjoy warm or chilled.

At this point, your leeks are cooked down, the remaining ingredients have been added to the pot and you're ready to simmer. Once complete you'll have yourself a comforting, velvety soup that's packed full of nutrition and a home that smells divine!

Zucchini & Sweet Potato Vichyssoise

Ingredients

• 5 cups leeks (about 2-3 large or 4-5 small), sliced
• 4 cups sweet potatoes (about 2 small), diced
• 3 cups zucchini (about 2 small), chopped
• 6 cups vegetable broth 
• mineral salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste
• 2 teaspoons turmeric or curry powder, optional
• 2 tablespoons basic cashew sour cream, optional
• chopped fresh chives or scallions, for garnish

Chop and prepare your vegetables. For the leeks, once sliced place them in a bowl of cool water swishing them around to rinse away any dirt that is trapped, drain in a colander giving another good rinse, or simply use a colander making sure to break up the rings releasing any dirt in between. The sweet potatoes can either be peeled or left unpeeled.

In a large dutch oven or stock pot, heat oil over medium, add leeks and saute until softened, about five minutes. Add the sweet potatoes, zucchini, vegetable broth, salt, pepper and optional turmeric, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Let cool about 10 - 15 minutes. Using a hand held submersion blender, blend until creamy. Add the cream and blend again. Or you may opt to use a blender or food processor to blend your soup (this will most likely take two batches to complete).

Serve hot or chilled (I especially liked this warm or at room temp). Makes about 4 servings.

Notes:

Feel free to add in some unsweetened non-dairy milk if your soup is super thick, about 1/4 - 1/2 cup.

This soup is wonderful on it's own without the optional turmeric or curry powder. I have them here in case you would like to vary the recipe up from time to time. Turmeric is noted for it's ability as an anti-inflammatory and cancer inhibitor, adding to the soup will enhance the nutritional profile. As for the curry, if you love it, it will also complement the soup nicely!

This would be great with some spiralized or julienned zucchini noodles.

For some spiciness, try adding a sprinkle of ground cayenne or chipotle powder when serving.

If you're not a fan of sweet potatoes, sub in regular potatoes instead.

Enjoy!

MUSHROOM & BUCKWHEAT SOUP

The temperatures here have been steadily on the cool side. It's been rainy, windy and chilly but absolutely beautiful! We had our first dusting of snow on the mountains a couple days ago. I love this time of year when the temperatures drop. It's time for beanie’s, sweaters and snuggling up with a bowl of soup or chili to keep warm. I've been making a lot of chili lately and decided it was time to add another soup to the recipe collection. This soup was inspired by a friend of mine who shared a picture of her mushroom & buckwheat soup on Facebook and I fell in love. Off I went googling to research and pull together this recipe. 

I have two firsts here, for one I am using toasted buckwheat groats, aka kasha, (usually I use raw) and the other I will be trying out oyster mushrooms. I also get a chance to use fennel seeds which I am in love with right now! But don't worry if you don't have any on hand, the thyme called for will do just fine. In fact you can play around with the herbs using sage, smoked paprika, a bay leaf while cooking, a pinch of cayenne or simply use no herbs and opt for salt & pepper to taste. As for the mushrooms, you can use a variety or keep it simple with just one type. If you’re feeling exotic, try using some wild mushrooms. If you’re feeling simple, use regular button mushrooms for convenience and ease. No matter what kind of mushrooms you use I'm sure you'll enjoy this simple honest soup!

Let's talk a little about buckwheat before we get to the recipe. Despite its name, buckwheat, aka kasha once toasted, does not contain wheat or belong to the wheat family. It's a gluten free seed, sometimes considered a grain, with a good amount of protein, containing 6 grams per 1/4 cup dry. They have a mild, earthy flavor. Once roasted, the flavor will intensify lending a nuttier flavor. Buckwheat groats work great in soups, cereals and raw cookies so far that I have tried. I'm sure there are many more uses for this nutritious seed. In this recipe they will plump up and soften making them a great replacement for the traditional barley that is served in this soup. You can purchase these raw buckwheat groats from Bob's Red Mill or these toasted buckwheat groats from Arrowhead Mills. I made the mistake of buying the latter but wasn't too disappointed as they are great as well, but I prefer the raw ones for cereals like this Bircher Muesli and raw dessert truffles like these Coconut Lemon Bombs. I used the toasted ones here with a first time success but I'm sure the raw buckwheat groats would be just as tasty, if not better!

MUSHROOM & BUCKWHEAT SOUP

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive or grapeseed oil
• 2 leeks, sliced lengthwise and thinly sliced (green and white part only) or 1 large onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, sliced (a few chopped leaves is great too)
• 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 1b. (16 oz) mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup buckwheat groats (use either raw or toasted), rinsed
• 2 teaspoons thyme
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 7 - 8 cups vegetable or mushroom broth, or 7 - 8 cups water with 2 vegetable boullion cubes
• juice of 1 lemon, optional
• mineral salt & fresh cracked pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped to garnish

In a large dutch oven or stock pot, heat oil over medium heat, add leeks and celery, cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in carrots and mushrooms, cook another 4 minutes. Add in groats, thyme, fennel seeds, broth, lemon juice and salt & pepper, bring to a boil, partially cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.

Serve garnished with a sprinkle of parsley and a side of crusty artisan bread or gluten free bread of choice.

Serves 4 - 6

Notes:

For the mushrooms, feel free to use one or more of the following...shitake, oyster, porcini, button, cremini or baby bella's. I used a combination of shitake, oyster and baby bella's but all one kind would be great too! Feel free to add extra mushrooms to the soup if you like!

For the liquid I used about 8 cups. Start with the smaller amount and add more as you see fit.

I completely forgot to top with parsley for the photos. It will add a nice fresh bright flavor to the soup!

Feel free to use pearl barley, which is not gluten free, in place of the buckwheat groats. Just be sure to cook your soup for about 20 to 30 minutes, until barley is tender.

Enjoy!

Risi E Bisi (Rice and Peas)

Risi e bisi (pronounced REE-see ay BEE-see) is a classic Venetian dish. It's somewhat like a risotto but a little soupier to where you will be using a spoon. I really enjoyed the simplicity and beauty of this dish in every way. The peas are sweet and pair so nicely with the leeks and other flavors from the broth and light seasonings. This recipe makes a large batch so feel free to cut the recipe in half.

This lovely recipe is inspired and adapted from NPR Kitchen Window, A Fresh Pod Cast: Savoring Springs Green Peas.

I decided to use frozen petite peas for this as I honestly didn't feel like shelling 4 lbs. of peas. Please don't judge me. :) I think this is how most of you will be cooking this as frozen peas are convenient. But of course, fresh peas are best and will yield a lovely flavor. Try not to eat them all before they go into the recipe either. I know I can eat these peas by the handfuls. They are so sweet and tender that I can't get enough of them.

Then we bring in the mild flavors of leeks and bay leaves. I used two medium sized leeks, light green and white parts only, slicing them thinly. I also chopped about 1/3 of the thinly sliced batch so there would be some smaller onion like pieces too (this is optional).

I used this sprouted brown grain rice from Planet Rice that I picked up from my local grocery store. It was about $4 for a 20 oz bag. Using this rice I found that I needed to add a little extra cooking time to achieve the texture I was looking for. They do have a lightly milled spouted brown rice that will cook a bit faster, then you won't need the extra cooking time at the end like I needed. Traditionally the rice used in this dish is a risotto rice like Arborio rice, Carnaroli or Vialone Nano which are grown in Italy.

As mentioned in this Food & Wine recipe, it is said by the cooks in Venetia that "for each grain of rice there should be a pea"...I agree!

 Risi E Bisi (Rice and Peas)

Ingredients (serves 6 - 8)

• 6 - 8 cups vegetable broth OR water with 3 Repunzel Vegetable Bouillons
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast, optional
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium leeks, thinly sliced OR one onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 cups sprouted brown rice, arborio or any medium grain rice of choice
• 4 cups fresh peas or thawed frozen peas 
• 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped and loosely packed
• mineral salt and pepper, to taste
• almond parmesan, for topping (not shown)

In a medium saucepan, place the stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Add in the bay leaves, nutritional yeast and keep broth warm. 

In a large stock pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add leeks and cook until just softened, about five minutes (remove and set aside a few tablespoons of the leeks for topping if desired). Add garlic and rice, toss until rice is nicely coated, about 3 minutes. 

Add in warm broth, one cup at a time, the stock should be bubbly. Stir often allowing the broth to be just absorbed. Add in another cup of broth, repeat. Add in peas, more stock and continue the process for another 15 minutes or so, or until the rice is al dente, tender but chewy. The whole process should be about 25 minutes or so. Note: Using the sprouted brown rice, at the end I covered my rice and peas and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes until rice was ready to my liking.

Add in more broth and stir. Your rice and peas should be a little soupy. Remove from heat, taste for seasoning and stir in parsley. Remove any bay leaves that made it into the rice and peas. Serve topped with a nice dusting of almond parmesan and freshly cracked pepper. 

Quick method: After sauteing the leeks and rice as above. Add at least 7 cups broth, peas, bay leaves and nutritional yeast, bring to a boil, cover and cook for 20 - 30 minutes until rice is tender. Remove from heat add in parsley. Let set a few minutes and serve as desired.

Quinoa and Peas

And if you were thinking about subbing quinoa for the rice, go ahead, it's delicious too as pictured below (this is actually my preferred grain, I love everything about it...but then this dish isn't called Risi E Bisi). Top with Almond Parmesan like shown and your good to go. Truly wonderful!

How to make using quinoa...

In large pot, heat oil and saute leeks, about five minutes. Add 2 cups rinsed quinoa and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring frequently. 

Add 7 cups broth, bay leaves, nutritional yeast, bring to a boil. Add in peas, do not stir, cover and simmer for about 20 - 25 minutes. Test quinoa for tenderness by tasting. Turn off heat, uncover and let set for about 10 - 15 minutes until broth is mostly absorbed. It will thicken upon standing, add more warm broth as needed for desired soupiness. Remove bay leaves. Toss in parsley, taste for seasoning and serve. 

This method with the quinoa will leave you with wonderful leftovers. Quinoa holds up well and reheats beautifully the next day. 

Enjoy!

Saffron Potato Leek Soup with Fried Garlic & Almonds

This will have you smelling the finest aromas right from the get go. Its hearty and rustic with a side of something unusual. Fried garlic and almonds add a nice touch along with the hint of saffron. For the saffron, I buy mine from Trader Joe's for $5 or so, it contains a good amount. I hope you will have access to this price since it can be fairly pricey in the general stores, upwards of $15 to $20. It really pairs well with all the other ingredients leaving your house smelling wonderful. I also imagine it will taste just as good without it, so feel free to be flexible and attempt this without the saffron if need be. Either way, open the windows and let the neighbors get a wiff of this aromatic soup you have going. Potato soup never tasted so good! Recipe adapted from Food 52 Anya von Bremzen's Potato Soup with Fried Almonds. I changed up the recipe a little, mainly adding rice and leeks. I also increased the almonds for extra protein, they'll soften up a bit in the soup adding a nice light crunch too. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Saffron Potato Leek Soup with Fried Garlic & Almonds

Ingredients

• 2 pounds organic yukon gold potatoes
• 2 small leeks, sliced and any dirt removed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 cup blanched almonds (almond with skin is ok too)
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 5 cups vegetable broth, + more as needed
• 1/2 cup basmati or jasmine rice
• 1 pinch saffron, partially crushed
• mineral salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
• 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar or red/white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, minced

Cut potatoes into irregular chunks by inserting the tip of a small, sharp knife into a potato and twisting until a 1 1/2 chunk comes out. Repeat until the entire potato is cut up, than continue with the remaining potatoes, set aside. You can also just roughly chop the potatoes into 1 1/2 inch chunks. Peeling is optional.

Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium heat, add almonds and garlic, cooking, stirring frequently until golden, 3 - 4 minutes. Transfer the almonds and garlic to a bowl to cool slightly. Add leeks and a 2 tablespoons of water to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add potatoes, vegetable broth and rice, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 40 to 45 minutes.

In a food processor, place the garlic and almonds, pulse until desired texture. I left mine fairly course. Add all but 2 tablespoons to the soup. Season soup with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove a few tablespoons of soup from the pot and place in a small bowl, add saffron and let steep for 2 minutes, add to the soup. Add a little more water or broth if the soup seems to thick and continue to cook.

Once soup is ready, if you'd like it creamier, break up or mash some of the potatoes using a sturdy spoon. Add the vinegar to the reserved ground almond mixture and stir in the soup. Add the parsley and cook for a minute. Taste for seasonings, adding a little more salt and vinegar if necessary.

Serve with dense whole grain or artisan bread.

Notes: 

If using almonds with the skin, just know that the skins will fall off in the soup. For me this is not an issue (I like the added fiber) but if you're serving for company you may consider using blanched almonds.