SEMANA DE SOPA (SOUP WEEK!) - DAY 14

Day 14: Sunny Split Pea Soup + Seitan

Another recipe from Michelle Schwemann & Josh Hooten's Eat Like You Give A Damn: Recipe for the New Ethical Vegan. I made a few revisions - using a pressure cooker again to cut down on cooking times, adding way more swiss chard than specified (because greens are amazing for your health!), and throwing in some homemade seitan for added texture and heartiness. A nice warming meal for a cosy night in!

SEMANA DE SOPA (SOUP WEEK!) - DAY 13

Day 13: Butternut Bisque with Coconut Swirl + Vegan Rice Paper "Bacon"

Like yesterday's soup, this was a SUPER speedy meal - requiring a quick heat through and blitz before serving. The recipe for this fragrant lime + coconut spiked pumpkin soup comes from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Isa Does It. I did find it a little on the sweet side (despite reducing the amount of rice malt - which I was using as a substitute for agave). I will definitely be making this again though, mainly because I loved the lime that really shone through the creamy richness of the coconut and pumpkin, but also because it was ready in just a few minutes (if you have a roasted pumpkin on hand) - which is a huge plus since time is such a limited resource these days! I added some experimental rice paper "bacon" before serving, which lessened the sweetness and added a smokiness that married well with the other aromatic flavours. 

SEMANA DE SOPA (SOUP WEEK!) - DAY 12

Day 12: Ruby's Tomato Soup

Tomato soup is one of the classics. This recipe - from Michelle Schwegmann and Josh Hooten's Eat Like You Give A Damn: Recipes for the New Ethical Vegan was my first proper (as in, following a recipe) attempt at tomato soup. I was really impressed with how quickly it came together. It was ready in a matter of a few minutes. There wasn't even enough time to grab some bowls and set the table! If you are looking for a super speedy meal to warm you up (and boost those vitamin C levels sky high) then this is the soup for you!

SEMANA DE SOPA (SOUP WEEK!) - DAY 11

Day 11: Sweet Potato & Red Curry Soup with Rice & Kale Green Beans + Sriracha

Another delicious recipe from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Isa Does It. Since fresh green beans were on special, I decided to substitute the kale in Isa's recipe for sliced (krisked) green beans - and it worked out really great! I also used brown rice instead of white and used the pressure cooker to reduce the total cooking time (since the brown rice would have added another 15-20 minutes). The red curry paste adds amazing fragrance to the dish and infuses the broth and the creamy sweet potato with the gorgeous flavours of lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime and chilli. This comforting soup is on the make again list for sure!

SEMANA DE SOPA (SOUP WEEK!) - DAY 9

Day 9: Summer Minestrone

Although out of season, I decided to give this veggie-packed soup a go since I had all the necessary ingredients on hand. Made in a pressure cooker, this soup is ready in no time at all! The recipe comes from Jill Nussinow's The New Fast Food: The Veggie Queen Pressure Cooks Whole Food Meals In Less than 30 Minutes. The recipe is very straight forward and you can definitely substitute any of the veggies for your favourites (or even add more in... which is what I did!). I also topped it off with some sliced green olives for a nice sharp bite. 

SEMANA DE SOPA (SOUP WEEK!) - CONT.

Soup Week was so enjoyable it seemed wrong to limit it to 7 brief days. 

DAY 8: Smoky Split Pea Soup + Crusty Sourdough Bread

Incredibly straightforward to make (a true one-pot wonder), this smoky split pea soup only gets better when dished up the next day! I made this Appetite for Reduction recipe last night and had just enough for lunch today. The smokiness comes my fave spice - smoked paprika. The split peas melt away to make a creamy broth and diced carrots add the perfect amount of sweetness to balance the dish. My only complaint was that it didn't make quite enough for the promised 6 serves. Other than that, I think this would be a winner with any pea and ham soup eater.

SEMANA DE SOPAS (SOUP WEEK!) - DAY 7

DAY 7: New England Glam Chowder

This was the recipe that caught my attention when I first pored over Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Isa Does It. The reason it has taken years to actually make was the fishy-factor as well as my complete ignorance of what "authentic" clam chowder should be like. What I have come to realise is 1. who cares what the "original" (i.e. non-vegan) version of something is like, vegan food is not a substitute, it is a cuisine in its own right; and 2. I love to try new flavours and techniques, so this was a great opportunity to use nori in a new way! Moral to this story... this New England Glam Chowder worked out great and is now one of my favourite Soup Week creations. Unlike Isa's recipe, I used firm tofu in place of the button mushrooms, dried shiitake mushrooms instead of fresh, and left-over crushed Matzo rather than saltines. 

SEMANA DE SOPAS (SOUP WEEK!) - DAY 6

DAY 6: Lotsa Veggies Lentil Soup, Sriracha + Homemade Soy Yoghurt

Things I have learnt from soup week:

• Soups are the ultimate make-ahead meal, you can double-batch them and have tasty soups hanging out in your freezer for weeks!
• Giving your soup 10 minutes to cool down slightly before serving will allow the flavours to meld and the broth the reach the perfect temperature for you to appreciate all its subtleties
• Soups are super versatile. You can substitute ingredients with ease or add in tonnes of extra veggies or pulses for hearty #protein and #phytonutrient rich dishes
• Left overs are great for lunch! Fill a suitably-sized glass sauce/jam jar with last night's soup and tote it to work for a quick and simple midday meal. Plus, the flavours will develop over night making lunch even more delectable

Today's soup was another Isa Chandra Moskowitz inspired blend from her awesome Appetite for Reduction (with just a few adjustments: green capsicum in place of the celery, chicken-style vegan stock instead of vegetable, a generous splatter of Sriracha, a big dollop of homemade soy yoghurt, and some coriander for a fresh bite). 

SEMANA DE SOPAS (SOUP WEEK!) - DAY 5

DAY 5: Wild Rice Soup with Browned Seitan Sausages

Packed with protein, beta-carotene, and dietary fibre, this hearty and satisfying soup is perfect for a chilly autumn night. The recipe comes from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's fab Isa Does It with a few alterations: I swapped the wild rice for nutty brown rice and I used sliced Italian Feast Steamed Sausages (from Isa's Vegan Brunch) since I had these hanging out in the freezer. 

SEMANA DE SOPAS (SOUP WEEK!) - DAY 4

DAY 4: Bistro Broccoli Chowder + Gochujang-Spiked Soy Yoghurt

Four days in and I am not only enjoying some delicious soups, but I've also been learning some key soup lingo. Chowder, for anyone like me that wasn't clued up on the distinction, is a soup that is "prepared with [plant-based] milk or cream and thickened with broken [vegan-friendly] crackers, crushed ship biscuits, or a roux." This chowder comes from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Appetite for Reduction (Isa's awesome books have been getting quite the work out this week!). To spice it up a little, because (in my opinion) chilli is one of broccoli's BFFs, I topped this off with a gochujang-spiked yoghurt swirl. I also gave it a descent whack of roughly chopped parsley, which adds some iron to this vitamin C rich dish.

SEMANA DE SOPAS (SOUP WEEK!) - DAY 3

DAY 3: Tortilla Soup + Homemade Soy Yoghurt

I have been intrigued by tortilla soup for quite a while now. I love Mexican flavours, but am not a huge fan of tomato based 'broths'. Since it is #SoupWeek though, it seemed like the perfect time to give tortilla soup a go and boy am I glad I did! It was super tasty, fresh, and had the right amount of kick from a couple of finely diced jalapeños. I used Isa Chandra Moskowitz's recipe from Appetite for Reduction, with a few minor alterations (black beans instead of pinto, 1 medium green capsicum in place of the  poblano chilli, no chilli flakes, and a generous dollop of homemade soy yoghurt to serve). Easy and inexpensive, I will definitely be making this again!

SEMANA DE SOPAS (SOUP WEEK!) - DAY 2

DAY 2: Chickpea-Rice Soup with Cabbage + Herbed Dumplings

Another easy-to-make and satisfying soup from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Isa Does It. I made a few revisions to Isa's ingredient list and method by substituting the fresh dill for some dried tarragon (as the dill in the grocer's looked very sad and the internet told me that tarragon would do the trick), and using brown rice (cooking for an additional 25 minutes before adding in the veggies). I also added some whole wheat herbed dumplings (recipe below) into the pot and cooked for a further 15 minutes.

HERBED DUMPLINGS

What you need:

SEMANA DE SOPAS (SOUP WEEK!) - DAY 1

Over the past few months I have been making a big effort to plan my meals for a week and shop for just the items I need. In part, a way to justify my cookbook addiction - by working my way through some of the tempting looking (and sounding) recipes, but also to prove that eating healthfully and ethically is not only easy but inexpensive!

With so many cookbooks and recipes to choose from, it gets a little overwhelming deciding what should be on the menu each week. This week I decided to narrow things down a little and start the transition into the cooler weather (as winter creeps closer) with Soup Week!

DAY 1: Cheddary Broccoli Soup

The recipe for this divine soup can be found in Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Isa Does It. I topped it with some chopped spring onion and served it with a thick slice of crusty homemade 24-hour bread to create a hearty main meal. If you love luscious creaminess that is also good for you, then this Cheddary Broccoli Soup is for you!

FRAGRANT VEGAN LAKSA

Laksa is one of my favourite quick dishes for when I am stuck for dinner ideas, or craving something creamy and spicy. For some time I have been searching for the perfect paste... this time I think I have found the winner! 

How? 

SPICY LENTIL SOUP W/ PUMPKIN, TOMATO + SNOW PEAS

if you are a fan of spicy flavours and looking for something to warm you up, this sambar is a delicious dish that will tick all the boxes. you can hearty it up with a serving of brown rice or enjoy this flavoursome soup all on its own. 

how?

1.5 L of water

100g of red lentils, rinsed

1 small brown onion, diced

100g of carrots, diced into 2cm pieces

100g of pumpkin, peeled and diced into 2 cm pieces 

100g of snow peas (or green beans), cut into 2cm lengths

1 medium tomato, diced

1 ½ teaspoons of turmeric

1 ½ teaspoons of sugar

1 ½ teaspoons of salt

for the masala…

50ml of canola oil 

1 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds

1 teaspoon of coriander seeds

2 teaspoons of dried chilli flakes

10 dried curry leaves

1 teaspoon of asafoetida

for the tarka…

2 teaspoons of canola oil, extra

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds

1 ½ teaspoons of fenugreek seeds

bring the water to the boil in a large pot. add the red lentils, onion, carrots, pumpkin and tomato and lower the heat to a simmer. cook uncovered for 30 minutes. add the snow peas, turmeric, sugar and salt and cook for a further 15 minutes, or until the lentils are soft. 

add the fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, dried chilli and curry leaves to a spice grinder. grind to a rough powder. heat the oil for the masala in a frying pan over medium heat. add the spice blend and asafoetida and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant. stir the paste into the pot of vegetables. 

heat the oil for the tarka in a frying pan over medium heat. add the onion, black mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds and fry off for 10 minutes. add to the vegetables and stir to combine. 

serve as a soup or, for a more filling meal, over rice. 

serves 4-6

TANGY VEGAN LAKSA W/ TOFU

its winter down-under and that means its time to whip out the ol' stock pot and get creative with some hearty winter-warmers! i am a laksa fan and this one is really simple to pull together if you have some asian flavours on hand

how?

1/2 brown onion, diced

1 clove of garlic, finely diced

1 red capsicum, diced

1 carrot, sliced 

1 small potato, diced

1 teaspoon of turmeric

1/2 teaspoon of dried chilli flakes (or 1 small thai chilli, finely sliced)

2 teaspoons of ground coriander

5-6 kaffir lime leaves (i have a tree in my courtyard that i steal a few off)

5 cm chunk of lemongrass, finely sliced

5 cm chuck of fresh ginger, cut into fine matchsticks

1/2 tin of coconut cream (135mL)

500mL of vegetable stock

1 block of tofu, cubed

bunch of fresh coriander

1 teaspoon of oil (i used canola)

saute off the onion and garlic in the oil until translucent. add the potato and cook for 2-3 minutes. add the carrot, capsicum, turmeric, ground coriander, chilli, ginger, lemongrass and lime leaves. cook for 2-3 minutes to bring out the flavours. add the stock and bring to the boil. reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender. add the tofu and coconut cream and cook until heated through (don't boil). stir through the fresh coriander and serve on top of some fluffy jasmine rice - enjoy!

serves 4

CHICKPEA, RICE + KALE SOUP

thank you IsaChandra for this absolutely delicious (and easy to make) chickpea, rice and kale soup. check out post punk kitchen for this tasty recipe! (it's a must!!)

TASTY ROAST PUMPKIN SOUP

returning home in winter is a bit of a drag but... it does mean it is perfect soup weather - which is excellent news for a soup lover like me! 

a tasty 'warm-up' dish is this yummy roast pumpkin soup - perfect for a cold winter's day/night!

how? 

1 butternut pumpkin, diced into large segments

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and left whole

1 tablespoon of tomato paste

1 L of water

1 vegetable stock cube

2 tablespoons of coconut cream

place the pumpkin pieces and garlic cloves into a preheated oven (200'C) in a large roasting pan for 30-45 minutes or until soft.

transfer the roasted pumpkin pieces and garlic into a large soup pot, add the tomato paste, stock cube and water and bring to the boil. simmer for 15-20 minutes. add the coconut cream. using a bamix, or similar hand blender, blitz the soup until smooth.

serve with some homemade croutons and enjoy! 

serves 4-6

TASTY WONTON MISO SOUP

with just a few weeks left in madrid i am trying to be creative and use my remaining 'stock on hand' in the fridge, freezer and pantry! last night i remembered a packet of wonton wrappers i had picked up sometime ago but never had the chance to dedicate myself to using.

using some cooked brown rice, frozen spinach, mushroom and kombu seasweed as a filling i was ready to knuckle down and whip up a batch of tasty little wontons for my dinner (and many more for later use - yum!)

how?

1 1/2 cup of cooked brown rice, cooled

3/4 cup of frozen spinach, thawed

1/4 cup of kombu seaweed, cooked and pureed in a food processor

3/4 cup of mushrooms, finely diced and cooked  (i used some plain old button mushies, but shitake would also be great)

450ml water

1 tablespoon of soy sauce

1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar

1 3x1cm chunk of ginger, cut into pieces and crushed slightly to release its flavour

1 teaspoon of miso paste

1 tablespoon of kombu seaweed, extra

1 packet of wonton wrappers (make sure you read the ingredients as some wonton wrappers will contain egg, look out for the white wrappers but check the labels to be sure)

combine the brown rice, spinach, kombu seaweed and mushrooms to make your filling. if frozen, defrost the wonton wrappers (i popped mine into the microwave on defrost for about 30 seconds).

place 1 teaspoon of the filling mix in the middle of the wrapper, rub a little water around the two front edges, fold into a triangle and press firmly to seal. take the egdes (or wings) of the triangle and roll behind the filling 'bulge'. press the two 'wings' together firmly to join. continue with the remaining wrappers and filling mix.

place the water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. add the ginger and cook for 3 mins. add the rice wine vinegar, soy sauce and 5-6 wontons (placing the extras into the freezer for another day), cover and cook for 5 mins on a medium heat. take 1 tablespoon of the broth and combine with the miso paste. remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the miso paste. add the seaweed (and any other veg as desired - such as spring onion or finely chopped asian greens)

soup serves 1

makes roughly 30 wontons

CREAMY VEGAN PUMPKIN SOUP

yum! this was seriously the best pumpkin soup i have ever had - irrespective of its vegan status - and so incredibly simple to make! perfect for a dinner on a cold, rainy night (which madrid seems to continue to experience into may) or anytime really! this dish is cheap and easy - perfect for the vegan student budget! 

how?

1 small butternut pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into 2cm x 2cm pieces

1 teaspoon of salt

3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast flakes

1 teaspoon of pepper

1 teaspoon of evoo

1 tablespoon of crushed walnuts

place the pumpkin into a large soup pot and cover with water. bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until the pumpkin pieces are tender (a sharp knife cuts through without resistance). remove from heat and drain off the liquid, reserving it in a jug. add 2 cups of the cooking liquid back into the soup pot with the pumpkin pieces and blitz with a bamix/hand blender until smooth. add the nutritional yeast flakes, salt and pepper and blitz again to combine. serve topped with a drizzle of evoo and sprinkling of crushed walnuts - delicious!!

serves 4