Day 214: Winter Vegetable Soup

Hungry friends scraped to the bottoms of big bowls of this vegetable-creamed soup tonight. Especially since it was an Indian Summer 70 degrees outside, that's a good sign!

That said, the color isn't so appetizing, more brown than gold, more flat than creamy. And it's a make-ahead soup, one where a day's rest is needed for the flavors to meld.

All this sounds as if I didn't like it -- I did! It's just not one I'll likely make again, it wasn't that 'special', except that it DID use up lots of leftovers! Still, the substitutions weren't so far off that it couldn't be reproduced on another night in another kitchen.


VEGETABLE RECIPES from the ARCHIVES

~ more soup recipes ~


WINTER VEGETABLE SOUP
Hands-on time: 15 minutes up front, then 10 to finish
Time to table: 60 minutes if you're in a rush, better to let rest a day
Makes 9 cups


5 cups vegetable stock (tonight's batch was made with Light Vegetable Stock)
3 tablespoons olive oil (another time I'd reduce to a single tablespoon, just enough to soften/glaze the onions)
1 large onion, chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped
1 cup turnip, peeled and chopped (from 2 medium turnips)
1 cup winter squash (such as acorn or butternut), peeled and chopped (tonight's substitute was a cup of cooked and mashed squash with a bit of onion and cream)
1 cup chopped carrot (tonight's substitute was a cup of Vegetarian Tsimmes so already cooked and including dried fruit and some clove)
1 cup chopped sweet potato (ditto)
Salt

1/4 cup maple syrup (this didn't seem to add much, actually)
Sprinkle of cayenne pepper (an imperative! otherwise this has noooo flavor)

"Doctoring" Additions
2 cups leftover Butternut Squash Soup
1 cup leftover cooked quinoa (added after pureeing, texture was nice addition)

Bring the vegetable broth to a boil in the microwave. (Skip this time-saving technique if there's no rush.)

Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven on MEDIUM HIGH. Add the onion and saute until soft. Add the vegetables as they're prepped and saute for about 10 minutes. Add the salt and the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to MEDIUM, cover and let simmer for about 30 minutes.

Puree with an immersion blender (this is thick enough that it takes awhile, getting out the blender is advised if you're in a hurry). Add the maple syrup and cayenne pepper.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Serving: 165 Cal (16% from Fat, 11% from Protein, 73% from Carb); 5 g Protein; 3 g Tot Fat; 0 g Sat Fat; 31 g Carb; 3 g Fiber; 31 mg Calcium; 0 mg Iron; 604 mg Sodium; 0 mg Cholesterol, Weight Watchers 3 points


CREDIT WHERE CREDIT'S DUE
Self Magazine, January 2004

Alanna Kellogg
Alanna Kellogg

A Veggie Venture is home of "veggie evangelist" Alanna Kellogg and the famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.

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