Vegan Yum Yum (31 page)

Homemade Vegetable Stock

Makes 10 cups of broth

If it's clean and fits in the pot, it can go in. Minimal chopping, no peeling—just in the pot it goes!

step 1
Heat a large stockpot with some olive oil in the bottom. I chop my way through the vegetable list as I'm cooking, so once the onion is chopped, I add it to the pot, then do the celery, the carrots, and so on, adding each thing once it's chopped up a bit. When you're out of stuff to add, pour in the water, turn up the heat, and cover. It should only take you about 20 minutes to chop everything and get it in the pot. From then on, it's easy street.

Ingredients

Minimalist Broth:

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

1 to 2 large onions, chopped

1 pound celery, chopped

1 pound carrots, washed but unpeeled, chopped

3 whole cloves garlic

1 bay leaf

10 whole black peppercorns

2 teaspoon salt

¼ cup low-sodium tamari

1 gallon water

You might also have or want to use any of the following:

Celery root

Mushrooms

Turnips

Fennel

Parsnips

Veggie scraps from other meals

Fresh herbs

Peppers

Zucchini

Greens (any)

Potatoes

Leeks

Tomato paste

step 2
Cook for 1 hour, turning the heat down a bit once the whole thing starts boiling.

step 3
I finish my stock by adding salt/tamari/soy sauce to taste and letting it simmer uncovered for another 20 to 30 minutes to concentrate the flavors.

step 4
Strain the veggies through a sieve into a large pot. I further strain it through cheesecloth into a pitcher. The pitcher makes it easy to pour some of the stock into ice cube trays for easy storage. Ice cube– size chunks of stock make for easy defrosting and easy recipe additions.

step 5
The stock will keep for about a week in your refrigerator, and two good months in your freezer. If you cook for the holidays, make it and freeze it a few weeks before. You'll thank yourself for being prepared, and your food will be that much more delectable!

Potato Leek Soup

T
his is the perfect soup with which to welcome the fall, when leeks and potatoes are in season and at their most flavorful. If you use a really nice vegetable broth as the base, you'll be surprised how rich the soup can be even with so few ingredients.

Potato Leek Soup

Makes 3-4 servings

step 1
Remove tough leaves from the leek bulbs and discard them. Slice the long, white/pale green bulbs in half lengthwise and run under cool water, being careful to remove any dirt or sand that may be trapped between the layers. Thinly slice the leeks crosswise.

step 2
Heat the oil in a soup pot and add the garlic. Sauté for 1 minute and then add the leeks. Stir well. Cook the leeks until tender, about 2 to 3 minutes.

step 3
Add the potatoes and broth along with the salt and bay leaf. Boil, covered, until the potatoes are very tender and almost falling apart.

step 4
Blend the soup in a blender or food processor while it's still hot, in batches if necessary. Return the soup to the pot and reheat if necessary, seasoning with pepper and more salt, if needed. Serve.

Ingredients

3 cups leeks, thinly sliced
(2 to 3 leeks)

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, peeled and pressed

1 pound potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 cups Homemade Vegetable Broth

1 teaspoon salt

1 bay leaf

1 to 2 teaspoons fresh black pepper, to taste

Spicy Tomato Chickpea Soup

L
ooking for a nice tomato soup to sip, but want something with a little punch? This soup has chickpeas blended right in. They not only give the soup extra body and flavor, but also pack in some protein, iron, and fiber. I like to blend the whole soup and serve it in mugs, but you can also blend only half and have some chickpea and tomato chunks in your finished soup. It's wonderful with toast!

Spicy Tomato Chickpea Soup

Makes 4 servings

step 1
Heat the oil in a large skillet with high sides. Add the onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, cumin, and chili flakes and stir for another minute.

step 2
Add the mustard seeds, turmeric, and the drained chickpeas. Sauté until the chickpeas begin to turn golden.

step 3
Add the tomatoes and salt and let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked.

step 4
Transfer the mixture—all or half of it—to a blender. Add the nutritional yeast and hot water and blend until smooth. Blend in batches if you can't fit everything at the same time. Taste and add more salt if needed. Serve with fresh cracked black pepper.

Ingredients

2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, your choice

1 sweet onion

2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
(optional)

½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon chili flakes

½ teaspoon mustard seeds

½ teaspoon turmeric

1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes