Vegan Soups and Hearty Stews for All Seasons is the 4th edition of Nava's book previously titled Vegetarian Soups for All Seasons. It is essentially the same book as the 3rd edition (with the green cover), but with the color photos added along with the new cover. It is substantially different from the first two editions.
I am a total soup nut so I was happy to get a copy of this book. I hadn't seen any of the previous editions but I have lots of Nava's other books so I knew it would be good. I was not disappointed. The recipes are arranged by seasons which is a really nice feature for those trying to eat local, in season foods. I turned straight the the winter soups and found a couple just perfect for this rainy winter weekend. The soups were both easy to make, used simple ingredients that I had in the house, and, most importantly, my family loved them. I look forward to trying more recipes from this cookbook and a full review will be forthcoming in the March issue of VegFamily Magazine.
Nava has generously agreed to share the recipes for the two soups I made this weekend.
Three-Bean Soup with Brown Rice
Red, white, and green beans in a tomato broth
8 servings
A warming, hearty, high-fiber soup, this is great served with Green Chili Cornbread (page 000) and a simple salad or coleslaw.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large celery stalk, diced
6 cups water
1/2 cup raw brown rice, rinsed
One 16-ounce can salt-free crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
One 10-ounce package frozen green beans
One 16-ounce can great northern or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
One 16-ounce can kidney or red beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon lime juice, or more to taste
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro or parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Thin limes wedges for garnish, optional
Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onion and sauté over medium-low heat until translucent. Add the garlic and celery continue to sauté until all are golden.
Add the water, celery, rice, tomatoes, oregano, and chili powder. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
Add the three types of beans and simmer over very low heat for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the rice and green beans are quite tender.
Stir in the lime juice and cilantro, then season with salt and pepper. If time allows, let the soup stand off the heat for an hour or longer, then heat through before serving. Garnish each serving with two or three lime wedges, if desired.
Hearty Winter Roots Soup
A chunky mélange of rutabaga, carrots, potatoes, and parsnips with a hint of cheese
6 to 8 servings
This hearty soup makes use of a couple of underused winter vegetables—parsnips and rutabaga—to great results. Make sure you have a good, sharp knife for cutting the rutabaga.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups peeled, diced rutabaga
2 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 medium potatoes, scrubbed and diced
2 medium parsnips, diced
1 large celery stalk, diced
1/3 cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons salt-free seasoning (see page 00 for brands)
2 vegetable bouillon cubes
1 cup rice milk, or as needed
1/4 cup Silk creamer
1 cup grated cheddar-style nondairy cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until golden.
Add the rutabaga, carrots, potatoes, parsnips, celery, oats, wine, seasoning, bouillon cubes, and just enough water to barely cover the vegetables. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer gently until the vegetables are tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.
With a slotted spoon, remove about 2 cups of the vegetables and transfer to a shallow bowl or a plate. Mash coarsely, then stir back into the soup. Add the rice milk and allow the soup to simmer over very low heat for another 10 minutes.
Stir in the creamer, then sprinkle in the cheese, a little at a time, stirring in until fairly well melted each time.
If the soup is too thick, adjust the consistency with a bit more rice milk. Season with salt and pepper. Serve at once, or if time allows, let the soup stand off the heat for an hour or so before serving, then heat through gently before serving.
Red, white, and green beans in a tomato broth
8 servings
A warming, hearty, high-fiber soup, this is great served with Green Chili Cornbread (page 000) and a simple salad or coleslaw.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large celery stalk, diced
6 cups water
1/2 cup raw brown rice, rinsed
One 16-ounce can salt-free crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
One 10-ounce package frozen green beans
One 16-ounce can great northern or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
One 16-ounce can kidney or red beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon lime juice, or more to taste
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro or parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Thin limes wedges for garnish, optional
Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onion and sauté over medium-low heat until translucent. Add the garlic and celery continue to sauté until all are golden.
Add the water, celery, rice, tomatoes, oregano, and chili powder. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
Add the three types of beans and simmer over very low heat for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the rice and green beans are quite tender.
Stir in the lime juice and cilantro, then season with salt and pepper. If time allows, let the soup stand off the heat for an hour or longer, then heat through before serving. Garnish each serving with two or three lime wedges, if desired.
Hearty Winter Roots Soup
A chunky mélange of rutabaga, carrots, potatoes, and parsnips with a hint of cheese
6 to 8 servings
This hearty soup makes use of a couple of underused winter vegetables—parsnips and rutabaga—to great results. Make sure you have a good, sharp knife for cutting the rutabaga.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups peeled, diced rutabaga
2 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 medium potatoes, scrubbed and diced
2 medium parsnips, diced
1 large celery stalk, diced
1/3 cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons salt-free seasoning (see page 00 for brands)
2 vegetable bouillon cubes
1 cup rice milk, or as needed
1/4 cup Silk creamer
1 cup grated cheddar-style nondairy cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until golden.
Add the rutabaga, carrots, potatoes, parsnips, celery, oats, wine, seasoning, bouillon cubes, and just enough water to barely cover the vegetables. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer gently until the vegetables are tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.
With a slotted spoon, remove about 2 cups of the vegetables and transfer to a shallow bowl or a plate. Mash coarsely, then stir back into the soup. Add the rice milk and allow the soup to simmer over very low heat for another 10 minutes.
Stir in the creamer, then sprinkle in the cheese, a little at a time, stirring in until fairly well melted each time.
If the soup is too thick, adjust the consistency with a bit more rice milk. Season with salt and pepper. Serve at once, or if time allows, let the soup stand off the heat for an hour or so before serving, then heat through gently before serving.
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