Veggie Foodie

Ingredients:

• 1 medium butternut squash
• 1 cup broccolini
• 1 cup cremini mushrooms
• 1 medium carrot
• 1 onion
• 3 large garlic cloves
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp pink salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp crushed black pepper
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tbsp cane sugar
• 2 cubes of Knorr vegetarian vegetable bouillon
• 2 cups water
• 1 400 ml can coconut milk (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/4 cup dried shredded coconut

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 375F
2. Carefully slice the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Then, place the squash onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper skin side up
3. Bake in the oven for 35-45min depending on the size of the squash. When the thickest part is fork tender, it’s done. Let it cool for about 10 min
4. Chop about 1/2 cup worth of broccolini into small pieces and thinly slice about 1/2 cup worth of cremini mushrooms
5. Dice the carrot and onion. Coarsely chop the garlic
6. Carefully peel the skin from the tender butternut squash and scoop aside 2 1/2 cups worth
7. Heat up a stock pot to medium heat. Add the coconut oil followed by the carrot, onion, and garlic
8. Season with the pepper and 1 tsp of salt. Sauté for 5-8 min
9. Add in bouillon cubes, the thyme and sauté for another few minutes. Add in the squash and the cane sugar. Sauté for another minute
10. Add in water and coconut milk (set aside a little bit for garnish)
11. Turn up the heat to medium high, cover, and bring it to a boil
12. Transfer the soup to the blender or use a stick blender if you have one. Blend on medium / high until somewhat smooth
13. Pour the soup back into the pot and cover to keep it nice and hot
14. Heat up a frying pan on medium heat. Add in the shredded coconut
15. Toast for a few minutes until golden brown. Set aside
16. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel and place back on medium heat
17. Sauté the broccolini for 3-4 min. Add in the mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Sauté for another 3-4 min
18. Place some of the veggies in the middle of your serving bowl. Then, pour around it 1 cup of soup
19. Sprinkle over some toasted coconut. Add some fresh cracked pepper. Drizzle some olive oil and drizzle some of the coconut milk
20. Serve hot with your favorite bread

Serves: 4 – 6

Inspiration source:

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium / large yellow onion, diced
• 1 large fennel bulb
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 bay leaves
• Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 4 cups (950 ml) vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt or to taste, depending on the salt level in the vegetable broth
• 1 cup chickpeas, cooked or from a can
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 to 2 cups baby spinach or kale (or other greens of choice), chopped roughly
• 1 (14.5-ounce / 410g) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (8-ounce / 227g) can tomato sauce
• 1 to 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Method:

1. To the pot, add the oil and put it on sauté mode
2. Add onion, fennel, garlic and sauté for 3-4 minutes
3. Add rice, pepper flakes, bay leaves, salt, black pepper and sauté for 2 minutes
4. Add vegetable broth, chickpeas, thyme leaves, parsley leaves, spinach leaves, crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce and gently mix well
5. Cover the pot and switch it to a mode with cooking time of 15 minutes
6. When cooking is done and cooled, open pot, add lemon juice and gently mix well
7. Serve with your favorite bread

Serves: 4

Inspiration source:

https://www.rainbowplantlife.com/blog/vegan-instant-pot-fennel-chickpea-stew

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 pinch black pepper
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans
• 1/2 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn
• 1/2 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp salt or to taste
• 2 cups water

For garnishing

• 2 spring onions, chopped
• 1/2 avocado, chopped (optional)
• some sour cream

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion, celery, carrots, garlic and salt and sauté for 5 minutes.
3. Season with chili powder, cumin powder, and black pepper; cook for 1 minute.
4. Add a can of beans, corn and water and bring to a boil.
5. Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, process remaining 1 can beans and tomatoes until smooth.
6. Stir into boiling soup mixture, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 7-8 minutes.
7. Garnish with spring onions, avocado, sour cream and serve

Serves: 4

Inspiration source:

https://www.vitamix.com/ca/en_us/Recipes/Tortilla-Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 medium size onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
• 2 small / medium size carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1/2 yellow squash, diced (optional)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 slice (100 g) cabbage, chopped
• 2 Tomatoes, diced
• 1 teaspoon taco seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt or to taste
• 1/2 cup cooked corn kernels (optional)
• 1/2 cup canned black beans (optional)
• 2 cups water

For garnishing

• 1 spring onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 avocado, chopped (optional)
• 2 ounces (60 g) tortilla chips

Method:

1. In a medium / large pan, heat the oil on medium heat
2. Add onion and garlic and saute till onion becomes translucent
3. Add diced carrot, squash, celery and salt and cook for about 2 minutes
4. Add pepper, cabbage, taco seasoning and ground cumin cumin and cook for 2 minutes
5. Add tomatoes, mix well, cover the pan and cook for 2 minutes and then turn off the heat
6. Transfer the cooked vegetables to a high power blender that can handle hot liquid, such as Vitamix
7. Heat the water, add the hot water to the blender and secure blender’s lid
8. Turn machine on at slow speed and slowly increase speed to High (10)
9. Blend for 30 seconds to 1 minute to the desired consistency
10. Add corn kernels and black beans and pulse-blend 3-4 times
11. Take out the soup in a serving bowl, top with spring onions, avocado and crushed chips and serve hot

Serves: 4

Inspiration source:

https://www.vitamix.com/ca/en_us/Recipes/Tortilla-Soup

Remarks:

• We tried the original Vitamix recipe a couple of time but were turned off by the taste of raw garlic and onion. We are very happy with this modified recipe where all the vegetables are stir-fried and mostly cooked before blending them.