Cozy Winter Soups

I love love love soups at any time of the year, but they are particularly satisfying during these winter months. In my home kitchen, making soup is an excellent way for me to use up bits and pieces of leftover vegetables, grains, or herbs that would otherwise go to waste. One of my favorite soups that I made recently involved a pureed base of butternut squash and eggplant, with whole corn kernels and brown rice stirred in at the end - sounds unusual, but it was so good!

My favorite tool for soup making is an immersion blender, as it allows me to puree vegetable-based soups with ease and without dirtying too many kitchen appliances. (Although a standard blender will work just fine, if that’s all you’ve got.)

The following two recipes are ones that our Organic Meal Delivery clients have raved about, and I’m pleased to share the recipes with you here.

If you’re a soup-fiend like me and are interested in receiving 3 more of our top soup recipes, simply email me directly and I’ll share them with you! 

Mushroom Barley Soup
Serves 6
This recipe can be partially blended using an immersion blender (follow directions below), or you can simply take the time to chop the mushrooms finely before sauteeing them - I’ve made this soup both ways with great success.

• 1 cup pearl barley
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped finely*
• 1 cup chopped celery, chopped finely*
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 lb mixed white mushrooms and cremini mushrooms, dirt brushed off, and finely chopped*
• Salt and pepper
• 2 quarts vegetable stock

*Note that if you plan to partially blend the soup with an immersion blender or prefer a chunkier texture, you do not need to chop your vegetables so finely to start.

Cook barley according to package directions. (Most types will take about 40-50 minutes to simmer.) Set aside once cooked.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery to the skillet and sauté till softened, 8-10 minutes, reducing the heat as needed to allow them to sweat instead of brown. Add garlic and mushrooms, and season with salt. Add stock.

Reduce heat to a low simmer. Let the soup cook uncovered for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the soup is nicely thickened. At this point, you may blend half of the soup to achieve a creamier texture, or leave it chunky. (We generally don’t blend the entire batch because we prefer to leave some pieces of mushroom whole.)

Finally, add the barley to your soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Vegan Tortilla Soup
Serves 6
This tangy soup is rich in protein and fiber from white beans. The fresh lime juice makes this dish pop - don't skip it!

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can white beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 pack frozen corn
• 1-2 limes, juiced (depends on size and juiciness of your limes)
• 1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Tortilla chips, to serve

In a large saucepan heat the vegetable oil. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes. Once the onions have softened add the garlic and cook for another minute. Pour the vegetable broth, tomatoes and beans into the pot and allow to simmer.

Puree vegetable mixture using an immersion blender - only partially puree it and leave it a bit chunky if that's your preference. Add corn. Add lime juice and fresh cilantro, to taste. Season with salt and pepper, as needed. Serve soup with tortilla chips.
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