Hearty soups, stews warm in winter

What's better in winter than a steamy bowl of homemade soup?

A hearty pot of soup can make a meal in one pot. Leftovers can be frozen in small containers and used for quick lunches during the week.
Soup can make a meal any season, especially when fresh local produce is available.
But there is something about winter that begs for soup.

As a vegetarian, I always have to ask about soups when dining out: Is it made with chicken or beef stock? Most vegetable soups are made with some type of meat stock, so I always make sure to ask.

Which is why I like to make my own soups. A homemade pot of soup simmering on the stove on a cold winter day is like a tonic, something to soothe the soul and warm you up.
I am always on the lookout for new recipes for soups.

One Hudson Valley cookbook author is one creative soup maker: Nava Atlas has given one of her cookbooks a makeover. She offers a great variety of recipes in "Vegan Soups and Hearty Stews," which features 20 new recipes and is organized in seasonal chapters.
Her vegan soups are low in fat but rich in flavor.

Nava was kind enough to allow me to print some of the recipes from her latest book. You can find out more about Nava and her other cookbooks by visiting http://vegkitchen.com.
A talented artist as well, Nava also has a blog that ruminates on women and whether they have "come a long way, baby, or just a long way, maybe." Check it out!

Here are three of her favorite recipes from "Vegan Soups and Hearty Stews."

The Taco Soup recipe would make a great one to serve for the big game on Sunday, if there are vegans who fancy football, that is.
The great thing about these recipes is that even meat-eaters won't miss the meat. Good food is good food after all, so these recipes should satisfy those who do, and those who don't, eat meat or dairy.

(Taco Soup from "Vegan Soups and Hearty Stews for All Seasons" by Nava Atlas)

Taco Soup

6 servings

The presentation of this easy, offbeat soup is fun and dramatic.

1. 4 cups water
2. 1/2 cup raw bulgur (cracked wheat)
3. 1 tablespoon olive oil
4. 1 large onion, chopped
5. 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
6. 1 medium green bell pepper, finely diced
7. 4 cups cooked or canned pinto beans (from 1 1/2 cups raw beans
8. or two 16-ounce cans, drained and rinsed)
9. One 28-ounce can salt-free crushed tomatoes
10. 1/4 cup chopped mild green chilies, fresh or canned, optional
11. 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional
12. 1 to 2 teaspoons chili powder, or to taste
13. 1 teaspoon ground cumin
14. 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Garnishes:

1. 1 to 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar-style nondairy cheese (see Note)
2. Thinly shredded romaine or green leaf lettuce
3. Finely diced firm, ripe tomatoes (about 1 cup)
4. Large, triangular stone-ground tortilla chips

Bring 1 cup of the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the bulgur and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Or if you can do this step ahead of time simply add the bulgur to the boiling water, cover, and remove from the heat. Let stand for 30 minutes.

Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and bell pepper and continue to sauté, stirring frequently, until all are golden.

Add the remaining ingredients, except the garnishes, plus the cooked bulgur and the remaining 3 cups water. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove from the heat.

Assemble each serving as follows: Fill each bowl about 2/3 full with soup. Top with some grated cheese, shredded lettuce, and diced tomatoes. Line the perimeter of each bowl with several tortilla chips, points facing upward, for a kind of star-shaped effect. The tortilla chips can be used to scoop up the solid parts of the soup or just nibbled along with the soup. Pass around a bowl of extra tortilla chips.

NOTE: Vegan Gourmet nacho cheese is particularly good in this recipe.

Per serving:
Calories: 405 Total fat: 12 g Protein: 16 g Fiber: 20 g
Carbohydrate: 64 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 228 mg

Thai-Spiced Sweet Potato Stew

6 servings

With Thai ingredients available at most natural foods stores and well-stocked supermarkets, it has become easy to enjoy the delightful flavors of this cuisine at home. Use your discretion with the red or green curry paste; a little will give a hint of heat, but if you want a spicier stew, you can step it up from there.

1. 1 tablespoon olive oil
2. 1 medium onion, quartered and thinly sliced
3. 4 to 6 cloves garlic, minced
4. 3 medium-large sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and diced
5. 3 cups water
6. 1 medium green or red bell pepper, cut into narrow strips
7. 1 1/2 cups frozen green beans
8. 1/2 teaspoon red or green curry paste, more or less to taste
9. 1 tablespoon natural granulated sugar
10. 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
11. 2 stalks lemongrass, optional
12. One 13.5-ounce can light coconut milk
13. 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
14. Salt to taste
15. One 8-ounce package White Wave Thai peanut-flavored baked tofu, diced (optional)
16. Cilantro leaves for topping

Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onion and sauté over medium-low heat until translucent. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until both are golden.

Add the sweet potatoes and water. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are about half done.

Add the bell pepper, green beans, curry paste, sugar, and ginger. If using lemongrass, cut each stalk into 3 or 4 pieces, and bruise by making long cuts here and there with a sharp knife. This will help release the lemony flavor. Stir into the soup pot. Simmer the stew for 10 minutes longer.

Stir in the coconut milk, peanut butter, salt, and optional tofu. Return to a simmer, then cook over very low heat for another 10 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender and the flavors well integrated.

Remove lemongrass pieces. Taste to adjust seasonings, particularly the curry paste if you’d like a spicier stew, as well as the salt, sugar, and ginger. Serve at once, topping each serving with a few cilantro leaves.

Per serving:
Calories: 290 Total fat: 10 g Protein: 14 g Fiber: 6 g
Carbohydrate: 42 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 235 mg

Sweet-and-Sour Cabbage and Bread Stew

Serves 6

Here’s a variation of classic sweet-and-sour cabbage soup, given a bit more heft with bread cubes nestled in each serving.

1. 3 to 4 cups cubed (about 1 inch) Italian or sourdough bread
2. 2 tablespoons olive oil
3. 2 large onions, quartered and thinly sliced
4. 3 to 4 cloves garlic
5. 5 cups water
6. 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
7. 2 large or 3 medium potatoes, diced
8. 4 cups coarsely shredded green cabbage
9. 1 medium green or red bell pepper, diced
10. One 16-ounce can salt-free diced or stewed tomatoes, undrained
11. 1/4 cup dry red wine
12. 1 teaspoon paprika
13. 1/2 teaspoon cumin
14. 3 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste
15. 3 tablespoons natural granulated sugar
16. Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until golden and crisp, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onions and garlic and sauté over medium heat until golden, about 10 minutes.

Add the water, carrots, potatoes, cabbage, bell peppers, tomatoes, wine, paprika, and cumin. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer gently for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

Stir in the lemon juice and sugar. There should be a subtle sweet-sour balance. If you'd like it to be more pronounced, add more lemon juice and/or sugar to your liking.

Season with salt and pepper, then simmer over very low heat for 10 minutes longer. If time allows, let the stew stand off the heat for an hour or two, then heat through before serving.

When ready to serve, divide the bread cubes among the serving bowls and ladle the stew over them. The bread will absorb much of the liquid and add a tasty, textural element to the stew.

Per serving:
Calories: 231 Total fat: 6 g Protein: 6 g Fiber: 6 g
Carbohydrate: 43 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 114 mg