Soups are the best nourishment for cold, winter days. At this time of the year, my dinners frequently consist of a bowl of warm soup, a boiled egg and a piece of fruit.
Below is the recipe for a mushroom soup. This could be served with a bit of lemon juice.
Mushroom and pepper soup
Ingredients:
5-6 cups mushrooms, diced
1 medium size onion, diced
1 medium size red sweet pepper, diced
½ cup bulgur wheat
2-3 medium size potatoes, cut into big chinks
1 tsp turmeric
¼ tsp black pepper
salt to taste
1-2 Tbsp cooking oil
Directions:
Add oil to the soup pot and saute the onion for five minutes. Add the mushrooms and potatoes, continue cooking with a closed lid. Once the liquid of the mushrooms decreases, add some water to keep the potato chinks under the water surface. Once the potatoes are soft, mash them and add water to the desired final volume (I usually add 12 cups of warmed up water). Bring to boil and add the diced pepper. Once the pepper is cooked, add the bulgur, all spices and stop the heat. Cover the pot again and keep the lid on for one hour before serving.
Hello, everyone!
Today's weekend cooking ended up being an easy mushroom soup. Why? Because I had made a salad of beans and corn that no one was eating and the mushrooms in the supermarket were on sale.
Mushroom soup
Ingredients:
1 sweet red pepper, cut into small cubes
1 15-oz can of corn (buy the one without added sugar)
1 15-oz black beans
1 medium size sweet onion, cut into small cubes
20-30 oz any mushrooms, washed and cut into small cubes
salt, turmeric, black pepper, cayenne pepper to taste
2 Tbsp olive oil
1-2 Tbsp wheat flour
Directions:
In a pan, heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil and add the mushrooms. Cover with a lid and let the mushrooms simmer in their own liquid. Stir from time to time; the mushrooms should be ready in about 10 minutes. In a soup pot, combined the pepper, onion, corn, beans and onion. Boil these in 4 cups of water. Once the onion is soft, add the flour and stir well. Add the mushrooms and more water to the desired density. Bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Before turning off the heat, season with salt, turmeric, black pepper and cayenne pepper (optional).
Here is a new soup concoction that I tried recently. I am a proponent of the high-fiber diet, so this is another high-fiber recipe. I usually cook huge batches of soups over the weekends and freeze portions for the work weeks ahead.
Sweet potatoes, garbanzo beans, and spinach soup
You need:
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
2 cans cooked garbanzo beans (15 oz)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 oz)
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into small cubes
2 medium size onions, chopped into cubes
5 or more garlic cloves, chopped
2-3 stalks of celery, chopped
Instructions:
Soften the onion and celery in the oil. Add the garlic and cook for another five minutes. Add water (12 cups of water or to the desired by you density), bring to boil and add the potatoes. Cook to softness (approximately 10 minutes), add the garbanzo beans and the thawed spinach. Cook for another five minutes, turn off the heat and season with salt. Experiment with any spices you like – turmeric, black pepper, oregano, hot pepper flakes, paprika, mint, etc.
How may I change the recipe? I did not add any spices except salt and found the soup a bit bland. Also, I do not have a sweet tooth. Instead of sweet potatoes, I will use red potatoes next time.
I have been so immersed in reading today that I almost forgot to post my weekend cooking recipe! Rhys Bowen's book Death of Riley is my current reading, and as I wrote before, lady Bowen is a master of suspense.
Today's recipe is for yet another high-fiber meal. Dietary fiber is the miracle "medicine" against all, excessive weight, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood glucose, gastrointestinal disorders, colorectal cancer, diabetes type II, etc. How much fiber a day is enough, you ask? Read my previous post.
Treat the recipe below as a framework and do your own alterations: change the ratio of the ingredients, add carrots, celery, other ingredients, and experiment with spices and herbs.
Lentils and potatoes soup
You need:
1 lb lentils
6 or more potatoes (any type), cut into small cubes
2-3 medium size onions, diced
10-20 garlic cloves, chopped
spices: winter savory, mint, paprika, salt
Instructions:
Wash and prepare the lentils according to the package. Combine all ingredients except for the spices in a large soup pot, and add water to the desired density. Boil at low heat until lentils and potatoes are fully cooked (approximately 30 minutes). Add spices before turning off the heat.
I serve the soup with a bit of apple cider vinegar or a few pickles on the side, cheese and toast.
