Whole30 Vegetarian: 20 Minute Garden Vegetable Soup (Vegan, Paleo)

My husband recently started following the Whole30 plan. Long story short, it's a a diet that emphasizes whole foods and cuts out sugar, dairy, processed and refined foods, and grains. In an effort to support him, I've been modifying my cooking to avoid these ingredients. Which, it turns out, is pretty simple (for me at least). A diet that focuses on eating tons of veggies? I can handle that!

A lot of the complaints about the program is boredom or lack of ideas with cooking. I can imagine if you're coming out of a diet coke/hamburger/cheetos kind of diet that this change would be hard. But instead I see it as a challenge, and have come down with some really great ideas and recipes. Already we have had a ton of baked sweet potato, roasted cauliflower (huge hit with the kids), super yummy salads topped with nuts and strawberries, and a kale salad with apples that I MUST POST SOON.

One of the things we decided would be nice is to add some soups to the menu, and I have some good ones lined up like cauliflower pesto that I'll be sure to post. 

Today I made a pot of soup to last the week, either to accompany meals or as a quick snack. This one took 20 minutes, fits into the Whole30 diet and smells amazing. My husband keeps creeping around the kitchen asking what I put in it, and I'll tell you: not a lot. It's brothy and light, perfect for spring, and all done in 20 minutes! 

Ingredients:

1 small onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

3 stalks of celery, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 large zucchini, sliced into half moons

1/2 cup of roasted red peppers, peeled and chopped (I used jarred from the grocery)

4 cups of broth or water

1 can organic diced tomatoes (or about 1 cup fresh chopped)

1 large bay leaf

1 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp mixed Italian seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

In a skillet heat 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add in the onion, celery, carrot and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic, red pepper and spices, bay leaf, and cook 1-2 minutes more, stirring frequently. Stir in the broth and tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add in the zucchini and cook 5 minutes more. Store for the week and enjoy with your favorite salad or serve immediately.

                                                                  All packed up and ready to go in the fridge!

White Bean and Kale Soup (Vegan)

The rain has finally arrived, albeit a bit late in the year. This has been the driest year in California history, and while I can't say I've been hating all the sunshine, the drought is a real concern. And I really do love the rain. It's the perfect time to stay all day in jammies, eat soup, make tea and listen to the earth be renewed.

We also spent the week celebrating my middle son's 10th birthday and I'm feeling a little sick of party food, pizza and cupcakes. This was a nice dinner to bring my family back to their senses.My kids enjoyed this one, the 12 year old had 3 servings!

This bean and kale soup is very simple and quick to make. The bell pepper added towards the end adds a bright and peppery flavor to the soup.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp Better than Boullion (veggie flavor)
6 cups of water
1 onion, diced
3 stalks of celery, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 bag of frozen peas and carrots
1 cup of cooked white beans
2 cups of kale


Saute the onion and celery in a large saucepan until translucent. Add in the garlic and bay leaf and cook another 1-2 minutes. Add in the boullion, rosemary and water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Then add in the rest of the ingredients, bring back to a boil. Simmer until peas and carrots are soft, about 5 minutes. Remove the rosemary stem and bay leaf prior to serving. Enjoy with a crusty loaf of bread, for dipping.

Chickpea and Rice Soup (Vegan).

This flu season has hit my family hard, ya'll. It seems like one of us has been sick since December. This week, we have yet another bug that is taking its time to make its rounds through our house.

I haven't left the house in five days except to teach a yoga class. I think I may have forgotten what actual human interaction  really feels like.

No one has been eating anything substantial, despite my best efforts. There's been lots of crying, more coughing, and a ton of sleeping going on, except not, you know, at night.

 And all hail the wrath of an angry, sick 4 year old. There's nothing quite like it.

When I was little, I remember eating chicken and rice soup when I was sick. Comforting, hearty, it was always the perfect just-getting-over sickness soup.

This is my best version of it to date. I've made it in the past, but like  yoga , cooking is a practice. And I think I finally perfected this baby. Every one ate, sickness or not, and loved it. Finally, some good nutrition into these sicky little bodies.

Cole, my soup-lovin' middle son, actually gave it two thumbs up and told me "It's awesome! Write that!" (So there you go).


Ingredients:

Olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 sprig of fresh rosemary (or about 1/2 tsp dried)
1 sprig of fresh thyme (or about 1/4 tsp dried)
3/4 cup of rice
2 stalks of celery, sliced
1 medium zucchini, sliced into half moons
3 carrots, diced
4-5 cups of vegetable broth (chik'n flavored veggie broth would be best if you can find it)
2 14 oz. cans of garbanzo beans, drained
2 cups of de-veined and chopped rainbow chard
salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onion, garlic and celery until soft. Add in the rosemary and thyme, cook 1 minute. Add in the broth, rice, carrots, zucchini and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer about 10-15 minutes. Add in the chard, garbanzo beans, salt and pepper to taste, and cook another 5 minutes.

Serve warm with a fresh baguette.

Pozole Verde (Vegan)

I've been hearing about pozole for as many years as I've been married to my husband. The problem is, it's usually made with chicken or pork. And honestly, I've never thought about making a vegetarian option.

But when my sister started outlining her recipe for chicken pozole verde, I knew I had to try one out, vegetarian style.

The way it's served kind of reminds me of Vietnamese pho. The broth is really simply made, and the key is all the delicious stir-ins.

Soup Base:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cups of clear vegetable stock
3 cups of water
1 Tbsp cumin
3 tsp. Mexican oregano (or more, to taste)
1 small can of salsa verde (about 7 oz.)
1 large can of hominy
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot. Add the onion and saute until soft. Stir in the cumin and oregano, stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in the stock, water and salsa verde. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer for about 20 minutes.   Stir in the hominy and heat through.

Serve with:

chopped cabbage

lime wedges

sliced radishes

cilantro

avocado

sliced jalapeno

and fried tortilla strips

 

 

 

 

Stir in what you like and enjoy!

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

It's been a tough, but rewarding, week. I'm in the 2nd week (of 7 total) of our LILY study at UCSF, and truth be told, I'm exhausted. I love being a part of this work, but my body hurts from my 5 hours of driving per day and I can't seem to get enough sleep, no matter how hard I try.

For Halloween I was a real-life mommy zombie. No makeup required.  Finally, finally the weekend is here! I have big plans to stay in my bed as much as possible. But with three kids, it's not likely to happen. Still, I can dream, can't I. (Get it? Sleep humor...I'm extra hilarious when I can't think straight).

What started out as a last-minute quickie dinner "for-the-kids" ended up a full fledged family dinner because it was just so darn tasty. And quick! (Did I mention quick? Seriously!)

The trick is to use baby broccoli, if you can, instead of regular broccoli, because it is tender and has a much milder taste.


Ingredients:
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
4 cups of vegetable broth
1 cup of water
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup of shaved parmesan cheese
a handful and a half of finely shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups chopped baby broccoli

Melt the butter in a hot stock pot. Stir in the flour and cook until mixed and lightly toasted, about a minute. Pour in the broth and water, salt and pepper and get it hot, but not boiling. Next add in the cheeses, a little at a time, stirring as you go. Continue to add and stir in the cheese and cook for 1-2 minutes, again, not boiling hot, but almost. Add in the broccoli, cook 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.

Red Lentil and Barley Soup with Homemade Gluten-Free "Meatballs"

Inspired by my recent realization that masa is the key ingredient for a nice, dense veggie "meat." These meatballs are gluten-free and stand up to soup and sauces without falling apart.

This is really two recipes in one blog post. The meatballs are time intensive when it comes to length of cooking, so make them ahead of time. The can also be frozen.


Meatball Ingredients:

4 eggs, beaten
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp celery powder
2 cups of shredded cheese
1 cup masa flour
3/4 cup of finely chopped nuts of your choice
2 cups of vegetable broth

Combine all of the ingredients, except the broth, in a bowl and let sit for 20 minutes to thicken. Then form into 1 inch balls and place on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. They should be browned and firm.

Then place the meatballs in a casserole dish and pour two cups of vegetable broth over them. Cook at 350 for 45 minutes.

At this point you can freeze them or throw them into your favorite sauce or soup recipe.

For our lentil soup:
3 stalks of celery, chopped
3 carrots, diced
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp each cumin and chili powder
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 boxes (8 cups) of vegetable broth
1 can of diced tomatoes, or about 2 large fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 cup of lentils
1 cup of barley
salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Saute the onion and celery until soft. Add in the garlic and the spices and cook until fragrant. Next add in the broth, carrot, lentils, barley, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the lentils and barley are soft, about 30 minutes, adjusting the liquid as necessary if it becomes too thick. Remove about 4 cups of soup and blend in a blender until smooth. Pour back into the stockpot.

Place the meatballs in the soup and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes if fresh, about 10 minutes if frozen.

Spicy Green Torilla Soup

        We eat so much soup in this house that sometimes I think I need to rename this blog the "Yogic Soup Kitchen." In fact, I give so much food away to the neighbors, it would be a fitting name indeed!

This recipe reminds me of Pho, in the way that it is made, but with a distinct difference in flavor. It is very light in nature, but the jalapeno added at the end gives it a real kick.


Ingredients:
1 head of garlic, seperated and crushed
1 box of veggie broth
2 cups water
1 carrot, halved and sliced thin
1 head of broccoli, chopped
2 stalks celery
4 corn tortillas, chopped and fried until crispy
1 tbsp soy sauce

To garnish:
avocado, diced
1 jalapeno, chopped thin
cilantro


Combine the water, broth, soy sauce and garlic. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Strain and discard the garlic.

Add in the broccoli, celery and carrot, and cook until tender, about 4 minutes.

To serve, ladle into bowls and add in tortilla chips, avocado and cilantro. For those who like it spicy, add in 3-4 jalapeno disks per bowl.

Gazpacho

When I was a kid, my mom used to make this soup, Gazpacho, which is a cold tomato soup. While I'm sure she never used a blender to make hers, I find that this way is quick and cleanup is a breeze, and it makes for a nice, thick soup.  I'm not sure how my mom got me to love this, as my kids wouldn't be caught dead eating cold soup, especially not tomato soup. I'm still trying to convince them that tomatoes are really delicious. It's an ongoing battle.  Still, it makes a nice light lunch for the resident grown-ups.

Serves 2

4 tomatoes, quartered

half of an onion, quartered

1 bell pepper, quartered

1 cucumber, chopped

2 green onions, roughly chopped

 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and pulse until roughly blended. Add water to adjust thickness level as desired. Serve immediately and garnish with avocado.

Smokey Lentil Soup

Lentil soup is a staple in my kitchen. I love that you can buy the dried beans that keep indefinately and that the ingredients are usually what I have on hand. In fact, it's so basic, that it's different almost every time I make it, depending on what is available. Sometimes it has carrots and potatoes, sometimes it has celery, and the herbs are always different; so whereas I usually use parsley, this time I used cilantro. Sometimes I put lemon in it, other times I use vinegar, and then I get the hankering to add liquid smoke. Keep it simple, put in what you have, it will be good either way.

Lentil soup was not something I grew up on. It wasn't until about the time my husband was in paramedic school and we had two very small children that it first made an appearance. Of course, at that time it was probably in the canned form, straight from the grocery store. How far my culinary skills have come since then, based partly that during that time we had to figure out how to eat healthy and on a very small budget.

So first went sodas, then boxed foods and then canned foods, again, partly because of money, or lack thereof.  but mostly because I was starting my own whole-food revolution.  I am amazed at the transformation that was made at that time and have been proud to see my children grow up to love things like lentil soup.

Ingredients:

1 lb. of dried lentils

1 box vegetable broth

4 cups water

4 carrots, diced

1 onion, chopped

1 bunch of cilantro, chopped

1/4 tsp liquid smoke

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp curry powder

salt to taste.

Saute the onions and carrots in a bit of olive oil until the onions are starting to turn brown and crispy around the edges. Then add in the spices and stir until fragrant, about a minute.

Add in the broth, water, lentils, liquid smoke and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low, cover and simmer until the lentils are soft, about 20-30 minutes. Salt to taste.

Japanese Style Ramen

I am not afraid to admit that I've probably eaten about ten tons of Top Ramen in my life; first as an after school snack, then as a starving college student. But as an adult, I just can't bring myself to bring something so full of salt and fat into my home. Why is it that all of our childhood food nostalgia involves horrible, horrible things? (Like ho-hos, or twinkies, or instant oatmeal).

Fast forward to yesterday, where I found organic, authentic, Japanese style ramen! You have no. idea. how excited I was.  Aren't they beautiful?

To make basic recipe:

Bring 4 cups of vegetable broth to a boil and salt to taste. Reduce heat to simmer, and add in desired amount of noodles. Simmer for about 4 minutes, or until noodles are done. Ladle hot noodles and soup into bowl and top with your favorite toppings. 

I used celery, carrots, green onion, radish and a hard boiled egg. Delicious! A new, grownup version of the old favorite that I'm not afraid to feed my kids.

Asparagus and Rice Soup

Why is it that some of the best recipes are born on nights when you don't know what the heck to make?  I can't say I have an answer for that, except that we had a ton of asparagus and some left over rice in the fridge...maybe I have a helpful kitchen sprite that I'm channeling....who knows?

So good, I had to make it two days in a row! Just to be sure!

Ingredients:

2 carrots, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 small bunch asparagus, chopped
2 boxes of clear vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste
1 sprig of fresh rosemary, whole
1/4 cup of uncooked jasmine rice

Saute the onion, carrot, celery and garlic until fragrant and soft. Add in the broth and rosemary and bring to a simmer. Add the rice and cook 10 minutes.

Add in the asparagus and cook another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Latkes and Broccoli Spinach Soup

Latkes aren't just for Hannukah! I topped mine with the leftover ginger/carrot slaw from lunch (see previous post) but the traditional way is to serve it with applesauce or sour cream.

Paired with a nice green soup, this dinner is savory and satisfying and packs a whollop of veggies into one meal.

Latkes:

1 egg, beaten
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp flour
1/4 pepper
1 tsp salt
1 onion
4 small potatoes
1 zucchini

Combine egg, flour, baking powder, salt and pepper in a bowl.

Grate the onion and add to the egg mix.

Grate potatoes and zucchini into a separate bowl. Turn contents out into a dry, clean dishtowel and squeeze the moisture out of the potatoes.

Combine potatoes to egg/onion mix and toss to coat.

Heat about 1/2 cup of oil in a large skillet (make sure it is nice and hot before you add the latkes, or they will stick).  Form each latke by taking a small handful and pressing into pancake shapes about 2 inches in diameter and about 1/4 inch thick. Brown on each side.

Keep warm on a dry cookie sheet in 200 degree oven until ready to eat.


Broccoli Spinach Soup:

1 clove garlic, crushed
1 onion, diced
1 head of broccoli, chopped
2 cups of broth or water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3/4 cup spinach
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
1 tbsp flour

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium saucepan.

Saute the onion and garlic until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add in the broth, broccoli, salt and pepper and bring to a gentle boil.Continue to cook until the broccoli is tender and bright green, about 5 minutes.

Carefully transfer the soup into a blender and mix until smooth with the fresh spinach.

Place back in saucepan and bring back to a simmer.

In another bowl, add 1/4 cup cold water and the flour and whisk until smooth. Add to saucepan. Slowly whisk in the cheese (if using) and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Enjoy warm.

Bean and Barley Soup

Soup is so easy, it's one of those things you kind of toss together, cook a while and then enjoy with leftovers enough to eat throughout the week or to freeze. If you haven't noticed, we eat a lot of soup 'round here. But this one is my go-to soup recipe for when the fridge is looking sparse or when I don't know what the heck else to cook tonight (which happens more than you think!)

I think this soup gets better the longer it sits, so leftovers the next day are twice as good!

Ingredients

1/4 cup each: dried white beans, black beans, pinto beans and kidney beans

1/2 cup barley
1/4 cup each: chopped celery and carrot
1 chopped onion
1 chopped red bell pepper
2 boxes of vegetable broth
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 can or jar of stewed tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste

Quick soak your beans: place the beans in a stock pot and fill with water. Bring to a boil and cover, boil hard for 2 minutes. Turn heat off and leave covered, let sit at least 1 hour. Drain and rinse the beans, set aside.

Saute the vegetables and spices until fragrant and soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the broth, tomatoes and beans and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for about an hour, or until the beans are tender.

Garnish as desired: I topped mine with a handful of fresh spinach and a tablespoon of chili sauce. The kids had theirs with shredded cheddar.

Creamy Zucchini Soup

This soup has wow-zappeal! Very green and fresh, perfect for a summer evening.

Ingredients:

2 cups zucchini, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cups celery, chopped
2.5 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup freshly shaved parmesan cheese
1 cup soy milk
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

sour cream and parsleyfor garnish

Directions:

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large stock pot. Add in celery and onion, and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini and Italian seasoning, and saute another five minutes. Next add broth and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes.

Remove 1/2 of the soup and puree in a blender until smooth, then combine it back into the stockpot, mixing well. Add the soymilk and parmesan, stirring constantly, until the cheese is melted. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and fresh parsley, and a nice baguette.

Italian Arugula and Potato Soup

Perhaps it's because summertime in our part of the world is synonymous with endless fog, that I've been feeling so soupy lately. This one is a simple peasant soup, which reminded my husband of the potato soup his mom used to make when he was a kid. It must have been good, the kids ate it up, with seconds and thirds all around!

Ingredients:

2 pounds white potatoes, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cups vegetable stock
2 medium carrots, diced
4 ounces (or about 3 cups) arugula, spinach or other green leafy vegetable
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 loaf stale ciabatta bread, diced into 1 inch cubes (I happened to have this on hand already, but if not, you can toast the chunks in the oven prior to making the soup)
4 garlic cloves, minced
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
hot sauce, for serving

Saute, in a large pot, the onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add in the potatoes, stock and seasoning and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Then add in the carrots and cook another 15 minutes. Then remove from heat.

Add in the bread and arugula and cover, let sit for another 5 minutes. Serve with hot sauce on the side, for the grownups who like it spicy!

Red Lentil Soup

I've been on a soup kick lately, inspired by a cookbook my mother gave me years ago, that I've only just begun to appreciate, called The Soup Bible. This variation can be found there, although I've tweaked it a bit, because you know, I just can't ever leave a recipe alone!

 My kids love, love, love lentil soup and it is so easy to make.

Ingredients:
1.5 cups red lentils
2 onions, minced
1 carrot, chopped
2 minced cloves of garlic
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 bay leaves
a 1/4 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp. turmeric
4 cups vegetable stock, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onion, carrot, celery, garlic until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the stock, lentils, bay leaves, spices and stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for about an hour to an hour and a half. Add more stock, as needed, if it gets too thick, and stir occasionally to keep the lentils from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Remove the bay leaves and add the vinegar, salt and pepper. Garnish with lemons, sour cream or parsley.

Asparagus and Potato Chowder

Let me preface this post with a caution: There is no photo on earth that could do this recipe justice. It was "the best soup I've had in a long time" according to the Mister.

I use two methods to make vegetarian and vegan soups thick (not liking to use cream, myself).

1. Make a roux

2. Blend 1/4 of the soup in the blender before serving

It really does make a difference, and I usually use both methods in the same soup, although the blender is the most successful, the roux adds a bit of flavor.

Let's Dive In!

Ingredients:

2 cups diced red potatoes

1 pound fresh asparagus, chopped into 1 inch pieces

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

5 or 6 cups of vegetable broth

1.5 cups of plain soymilk

1 to 1.5 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 cup of butter or substitute

4 tbsp. flour

1 tsp fresh thyme

1/4 tsp sage (or two leaves fresh)

1 cup finely shredded cheese of your choice (optional)

1/2 tsp. liquid smoke  (optional)

Saute the onion, celery and garlic in a large pot, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add in the broth, soymilk, salt, pepper, asparagus, potatoes, and herbs and bring to a simmer.

Roux: In a skillet, melt the butter and then add in your flour, mixing with a spoon or whisk until the flour is incorporated and no chunks are left. Be careful to do this  over low heat and not to burn. (You cannot just add the raw/cold flour to the soup, it will only result in lumpy clumps of flour.) Add the roux to the soup, and the liquid smoke, if using.

Continue to simmer the soup until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Then transfer, carefully, about 1/4 of the soup into a blender and puree until smooth. Add this back into the soup, mixing well.

If you want to add cheese, do so now, and cook another two minutes, stirring constantly.

Viola! Asparagus Chowder!

We served ours with a fresh garlic baguette from the local bakery. Heaven.



Tortilla Soup

I've been living off of tortilla soup for three days, it's that good. So I finally decided to stop procrastinating and post the recipe already. Here it is:

1 onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 bag frozen corn, rinsed and drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 can chopped green chilis (or 3 fresh chilis, roasted and chopped)
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
1 box veggie broth
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Saute the corn until charred around the edges, then add in the onion and bell pepper, cook until soft. Add in the spices and saute another minute or so, to release the full flavor of the spices. Combine the rest of the ingredients and cook until bubbling. Serve over fresh tortilla chips and top with sour cream, cheese, a slice of lime, chopped avocado, cilantro and hot sauce. Or skip dairy and have it vegan!

Seitan from Scratch and Seitan Guinness Stew

Just in time for St. Patty's day!

Seitan is a "vegan meat" made from flour and water.

To make, mix 4 cups whole grain flour with 1.5 cups water, to make a ball of dough. Let rest for 30 minutes or more.

Then place the dough in a collander, with a bowl underneath it and rinse with water until the water runs clear. What is left is the vital wheat gluten.
From here, boil the seitan in a bit of veggie stock and spices until cooked through, about an hour.

Use some as you would any other meat, saute, stew, etc.

Guinness Stew
3 each, carrots and stalks of celery, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
2 potatoes, chopped
1-2 bottles of Guinness, depending on taste
1.5 cups broth
2 tbsp. steak sauce or soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp. thyme or mixed seasoning

Saute seitan in olive oil until browned. Add in steak sauce or soy sauce and turn to coat. Remove from heat and set aside. Meanwhile, saute celery, carrot, potato, onion, garlic for about 5 minutes. Combine the rest of the ingredients (sans seitan) and stir. Add in seitan and simmer until thickened, about 45 minutes.

Savory Pumpkin Stew

So many pumpkins are thought to be "only for decoration." But did you know you can actually eat all those gorgeous varieties?

Two medium sized white pumpkins survived the Halloween carving carnage this year and were roasted up to make stew, cupcakes and pie filling. We certainly have more pumpkin than we could use all in one day, so some of it went into the freezer for future usage.

This savory pumpkin stew challenges the idea that pumpkins are only for sweet recipes.

To roast your pumpkins, simply gut them, slice in half and roast open side down at 375 until soft enough to puncture the skin with a fork. Use an ice cream scoop to get the "meat" out and discard the skin.

You will also need raw pumpkin chunks for the soup. Simply chop and cube a raw pumkin, discarding the skin.

Savory Pumpkin Stew

4 cups vegetable broth

2 cups water

1 cup pureed pumpkin (you can use canned, as long as there are no added ingredients in it)

1 cup cubed raw pumpkin

1/2 cup mashed potatoes (optional-it makes the soup creamier in texture but is not necessary)

1 large carrot, sliced into disks

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 large bell pepper, chopped

1/4 cup of chopped anise stalks (you can use an alternate herb, if desired)

Seasoning Blend, such as Trader Joe's "21 Seasoning Salute" or Mrs. Dash.

Salt and pepper, to taste.

Saute the onion, celery and bell pepper until soft. Add the broth, water and whisk in the mashed potatoes and the pumpkin puree. Add the rest of the ingredients. Cook for 30 minutes, or until the pumpkin chunks are soft.