National Grilled Cheese Day Meets Taco Tuesday...GRILLED CHEEZE TACOS (and Summery Tomato and Sweet Garlic Soup).

Yes, people. I'm completely serious right now. VEGAN. GRILLED. CHEEZE. TACOS. And they are sooooooo gooooood. What made me think of such a bizarre and ridiculous thing?! Well, since you asked...
You guys already know that I'm a pretty die-hard foodie...especially when it comes to holidays. One of my favorite things about holidays is making delicious vegan food: for myself, for my family, for my friends, and heck...for my puppy! (Candy cane dog biscuits are gonna be a thing in my household this Christmas...I'll share the recipe, don't worry! :) ) However, when said holiday happens to be a FOOD HOLIDAY like today (HELLOOOOOO #NATIONALGRILLEDCHEESEDAY!), the little girl that still lives inside me screams even louder than she does on regular holidays. I mean, what's better than AN ENTIRE DAY DEDICATED TO ONE FOOD...especially when that food just so happens to be a GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH. With that said, let's backtrack a little bit. I'm a huge food-holiday lover...including the WEEKLY food holidays: Meatless Monday, Waffle Wednesday, Pancake Sunday, and the star of today's recipe inspo: TACO TUESDAY. I was trying to think of a creative way to combine these two food holidays into one, and thus, it seemed I had two options. Option 1: taco grilled cheese. Think crispy bread slathered with homemade guac and stuffed to the brim with all my fave taco topping goodness. Tempting, but BORING. Everyone does that. (Although this recipe looks pretty darn tasty when swapped with vegan "meat" and cheeze!) That brings us to option 2: Grilled cheese tacos. WHAT?! Uh-huh. My first thought was, "HOW?!" (This might have been your first thought too...!) I mean, think about it: a grilled cheese is delicious, gooey,  melty cheese inside two slices of bread (duh...). How exactly can you turn that into tacos without just changing the shape of the grilled cheese sandwich?! Ah-ha...now we're getting somewhere!
Behold, my friends, my original creation...the first recipe of it's kind, straight outta my crazy head: The Fit Vegan Ginger's Grilled Cheeze Tacos. Delicious toasty bread cubes inside perfectly crispy romaine lettuce leaves and slathered in my sinlessly gooey and delicious cheeze sauce. And because a grilles cheese isn't complete without a bowl of tomato soup, I've included the recipe for my luscious Summery Tomato and Sweet Garlic Soup! This is such a unique and delicious spin on an old-time foodie fave, and it's a perfect meal for a warm spring day like today! The lettuce "taco shells" in place of bread give it a nice and light feel, while the slightly sweet tomato garlic soup adds a nice palate cleanser to the richness of the cheeze. Convinced?! Mission accomplished. Enjoy, fitties!

Grilled Cheeze Tacos and Summery Tomato and Sweet Garlic Soup.

THAT CHEEEEEEEEEZE.

Crispy, crunchy, cheesy, healthy...all in one. So good.

Summery Tomato and Sweet Garlic Soup.

Thick and creamy goodness.

Grilled Cheeze Tacos with Summery Tomato and Sweet Garlic Soup. Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one.

Ingredients
Grilled Cheeze Tacos
1. 4 large romaine lettuce leaves, washed and dried
2. Two slices vegan bread of choice, cubed
3. One recipe "Basic Cheeze Sauce" (see this post!)
4. Chopped parsley, for garnish

Summery Tomato and Sweet Garlic Soup
1. 1 cup canned tomato sauce
2. 1 cup plant-based milk of choice (I used cashew, but soy would be BOMB)
3. Salt, to taste
4. 1/2 small clove garlic, grated (less if you're not that into garlic's spiciness)
5. 1/4 tsp onion powder
6. Less than 1/8 tsp stevia or sweetener of choice
7. Chopped herbs of choice, for garnish (I used parsley, but chives would be great too!)

Method
1. Preheat oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with parchment. Place bread cubes on parchment (you cold spray with coconut oil cooking spray, if desired) and bake until crispy, about 15-25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
2. Remove bread cubes from oven and let cool 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, fill lettuce leaves with bread cubes and set aside.
3. Combine all ingredients for soup in your vitamix or high-speed blender and blend until smooth, starting on low speed and working up to high. Pour into small bowl and chill until ready to serve.
4. Prepare cheeze sauce according to recipe instructions. Drizzle cheeze over tacos and sprinkle with parsley. Serve with chilled tomato soup and a side salad.

White Cheddar Cheeze-Chive Soup.

There's something absolutely irresistible about a thick and creamy, "cheesy" soup...I think for many people, cheese is the ultimate comfort food. And when it's made into a warm and comforting soup? Well, then...I'll be right over :)
This White Cheddar Cheeze-Chive Soup is so simple to whip up and perfect for any time of year. Add some toast and seasonal veggies on the side, and you've got yourself a yummy dinner (or lunch! Yep, it's that fast to make!). Enjoy...and be sure to let me know what you think by posting your comments! :) I'd love to know what you served with your soup and how you liked it!

White Cheddar Cheeze-Chive Soup.

So  thick and creamy!

White Cheddar Cheeze-Chive Soup. Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one (can easily be doubled or tripled to serve additional people).

Ingredients
1. One large white sweet potato, steamed
2. 3 T nutritional yeast flakes
3. 1/4 tsp onion powder
4. Salt and black pepper, to taste
5. 1 T dijon mustard
6. 1 cup unsweetened cashew milk
7. 1/2 tso freeze-dried chives, for garnish

Method
1. Peel sweet potato and combine in Vitamix or high speed blender with all ingredients except chives. Blend low to high until super smooth.
2. Pour into small soup pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook 5-7 minutes.
3. Pour into a bowl and garnish with chives. Serve warm.

Super Simple Salsa Chili.

I absolutely LOVE the book The China Study, by T. Colin Campbell. I discovered it not long after I went vegan, and fell in love with both his method, AND the cookbook that went along with the plan. Being a new vegan, I was an avid recipe follower, and perused cookbooks daily searching for a recipe that intrigued me (this was obviously before I started experimenting with MY OWN creations...and TFVG was born!). The China Study Cookbook was my very favorite of ALL the vegan cookbooks I ever had...and one recipe in particular really sticks in my mind...er, my tastebuds. It was a hearty vegetable stew recipe that has a secret ingredient to add a flavor punch: JARRED SALSA! Yes, you did, in fact, read that correctly. Good 'ol tex-mex style salsa. No, I'm not kidding. (Don't knock it till you try it, people.)

Although I don't remember the exact recipe for this bomb-diggity delicious stew, I've frequently thrown some salsa into my pot when I feel like it's lacking some flavor...and I have yet to be disappointed! So here's one of my favorite chili recipes that uses salsa as the main flavor booster--it's super simple and only takes about 10 minutes, start to finish...and depending on the heat of the salsa you use, this comforting bowl of goodness can pack QUITE the punch! Enjoy, my dears. :)

Super Simple Salsa Chili.

Super Simple Salsa Chili. Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. 1-2 cups vegetable broth (more or less, depending on how thick you want your chili)

2. 1/2 cup TVP granules, cooked in 1/2 cup water

3. onion and garlic powders, to taste

4. 1 cup frozen broccoli florets

5. 1/2 cup jarred salsa, heat of choice 

Method 

1. Combine TVP and water in a medium-sized microwaveable bowl and nuke for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from microwave and set aside. 

2. Combine veggie broth, TVP, and broccoli in a small/medium-sized soup pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir in salsa. Simmer 10-15 minutes for flavors to mingle. 

3. Remove stew from heat and stir well. Pour into large bowl and serve hot, with crusty bread for dipping. 

Snowstorm Stew!

So, if you haven't noticed, it's snowing outside. ;)
I have to admit--this is probably the most snow I've ever seen in my life...and the "stormiest" snow episode I've ever lived through! Being from Central Virginia originally, I didn't grow up used to seeing "snowmaggedons" every winter...the most snow I ever remember getting as a child was 10 inches! But this?! This is actually frightening. Yes, you read that correctly. I am actually scared as I sit here and type this while I simultaneously watch the snow blowing wildly outside. *sigh*
Anywho, this is a really quick and yummy stew that's PERFECT for a snowy day like today--warming from the inside out and chock full of nutrient-rich veggies, this stew is certain to make it on your "fave recipes" list. Enjoy! And stay warm :)

Snowstorm Stew!

Snowstorm Stew! Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one.

Ingredients

1. 1 cup canned pumpkin puree

2. 1 cup no-salt-added vegetable broth

3. one small zucchini, chopped

4. one small carrot, peeled and chopped (or 6 baby carrots)

5. 1 cup frozen florets

6. 1/2 cup canned, no-salt-added diced tomatoes

7. 1/3 cup frozen corn

8. 1/2 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

9. herbs and spices of choice

10. salt, to taste

Method

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized soup pot and stir well. 

2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil for 5 minutes.

3. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring regularly, for 10-15 minutes for flavors to mingle.

4. Scoop into a LARGE bowl (this makes A LOT!) and serve. (I topped mine with ground golden flaxseed for texture--delish!)

Quick Lemon Pepper Chili.

My daily lunch consists of a salad. ALWAYS and without fail! But on my days off from work--when I can actually fix lunch instead of pack lunch, I go wild. Now don't get me wrong--salads are wonderful. I love my salads...like, MEGA LOVE. But when the weather gets chillier, there's nothing more perfect than snuggling into a steaming bowl of delicious soup as you watch your favorite movie. In your pajamas and slipper socks, of course ;) enjoy guys!

           Quick Lemon Pepper Chili. 

   Now come on--HOW DELISH IS THIS?

Quick Lemon Pepper Chili. Vegan, gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. 2/3 cup tvp granules

2. 2/3 cup water

3. 2 tsp braggs aminos

4. 1/8 tsp each onion and garlic powders

5. 1 cup no salt added (or low sodium) vegetable broth

6. 1 cup frozen broccoli

7. One large tomato, chopped 

8. 1/4 tsp black pepper

9. 1/2 lemon, juiced 

10. 1/2 tsp dried thyme

Method

1. This chili can be made in 10 minutes y'all. Start to finish! Ready, set, go! Okay, combine tvp with onion and garlic and mix. Add water and aminos and pop in the microwave for 2 minutes. 

2. Once cooked, scoop tvp meat into a small soup pot and add all ingredients EXCEPT TOMATO. Bring to a boil over high heat. 

3. When at a rolling boil, reduce heat to medium and add chopped tomato. Stir well and cook over low heat for 7 minutes. 

4. Pour into a large soup mug and devour. Just don't scald your mouth like I did. :P 

Radish Chili.

Yet ANOTHER random food creation that is so good it deserves a whole blog post! Enjoy my dinner, guys 😂👌

                     Radish Chili. 

Radish Chili. Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. 1 c vegetable broth

2. 1/2 cup canned pinto beans, drained and rinsed

3. 1/2 cup tvp

4. Onion and garlic powders

5. Scant 1/2 cup water

6. 1/2 cup jarred salsa, heat of choice

7. About 4 large radishes, thinly sliced

Method

1. Mix tvp with spices, water, and a dash of braggs liquid aminos. Microwave 1 1/2 minutes. 

2. Combine all ingredients in a small soup pot and bring to a boil. Reduce, simmer 10, and serve. Enjoy! 

Everything Stew.

This is YET ANOTHER random food creation of mind that was not meant to turn into a recipe...but it's too yummy not to share!  Enjoy, loves ❤️

                   Everything Stew. 

Everything Stew. Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. 1 cup water

2. 1 T braggs liquid aminos (or soy sauce)

3. 1/2 cup tvp granules 

4. 1/2 cup water

5. Spice blend: 1/4 tsp EACH of onion powder, garlic powd, fenugreek, and turmeric, plus PINCHES of pepper, paprika, and cumin. 

6. Two small (or one large) chopped Roma tomato 

7. 1 cup spinach leaves, chopped

Method

1. In a small soup pot, combine water, spice blend, and aminos. 

2. Mix tvp granules with more of the same spices listed for the spice blend (plus some aminos) and 1/2 c water. Nuke 1:30. Add to pot with chopped tomatoes. 

3. Bring to a boil, reduce, simmer 5 minutes, and stir in chopped spinach. Serve garnished with parley. Enjoy!

Back from the dead--with: Flax 'n Mustard Chili.

Yes, I'm still alive, guys...and still creating yummy recipes, both for the blog AND my cookbook! I'm so sorry for my absence of late...but I have a pretty good excuse...I MOVED TO DELAWARE ON TUESDAY! I officially "moved out"! It's amazing! I am eventually going to UD for college, but I ultimately moved for skating. Nationals is my goal and the training and coaching available to me at home just were not adequately preparing me for this goal. 

I've been here just over a week and oh my gosh--I AM IN LOVE! Not only am I getting to train alongside OLYMPIC TEAM MEMBERS every single day, but I am getting to work with THE MOST AMAZING COACHES IN THE COUNTRY! It's my dream come true. So thankful! 

So yeah. THAT is where I've been haha. Told YA it was pretty legit 👌😂 nonetheless, busy though I've been, I still have to eat of course (DUH! First priority lol) and if you know me at all (which you guys surely do by now...!), you know it's practically impossible for me to just "throug something together"...everything turns into a recipe 💃 needless to say, I've got a TON of new recipes all coming in the very near future 👏👏👏 here's the latest, invented on this RIDICULOUSLY FREEZING DAY (it's almost MAY! Where has spring gone?! 😭). 

                Flax 'n Mustard Chili. 

       Warms you up from the inside out!

   Had to show everyone my new mug 😍😂

Flax 'n Mustard Chili. Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. 1/4 cup chopped onion

2. 2 tsp garlic

3. 1/4 cup water or vegetable broth

4. Dash of braggs aminos 

5. 1/2 cup tvp granules

6. Onion and garlic powders 

7. Black pepper

8. 1/2 cup water

9. 2 cups frozen broccoli

10. 1/3 cup frozen corn

11. 1 cup vegetable broth

12. 2 T ground flaxseed

13. Crushed red pepper flakes for garnish

14. 2 T spicy brown mustard 

Method 

1. Sauté onion and garlic in water and aminos until soft. 

2. Add corn, broccoli, and water and stir. 

3. In a separate bowl, mix tvp, onion/garlic/pepper, and 1/2 cup water. Nuke 1:30. Add mustard to tvp and mix well. Add mustard-tvp mix to pot and stir. 

4. Bring to a boil, boil five minutes, reduce, add flax, stir, cook till thick and gooey. 

5. Serve topped with red pepp flakes. Yum! Delish with crusty bread. Mmmm. 

Tomato Vegetable Soup.

Ah, yes...another "clean out the fridge" soup turned "new recipe for the blog." SCORE! Enjoy!

            Tomato Vegetable Soup. 

       All that veggie goodness! Yum!

Tomato Vegetable Soup. Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. 1 cup no salt added canned tomato sauce

2. One small carrot, chopped 

3. Two stalks celery, sliced

4. 1/2 cup frozen green peas

5. 1/2 cup frozen corn

6. 2/3 cup frozen pearl onions

7. 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth

8. Onion and garlic powders to taste

9. Black pepper, to taste

10. Dried parsley

Method

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium size soup pot and mix well. 

2. Bring to a boil and reduce to medium. Simmer 15 minutes, until carrots are soft. Serve warm with crusty bread for dipping. 

Chilled Cucumber Soup.

Spring means green food...naturally! This springy soup is sure to please any critic--sweet, refreshing, super quick...a perfect addition to any salad and sandwich meal. 

           Chilled Cucumber Soup. 

                            Yum. 

                  And oh so lovely! 

Chilled Cucumber Soup. Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients 

1. One large cucumber, chopped

2. 2 cups raw spinach leaves

3. 1 cup almond milk

4. 6 oz. silken soft tofu

5. Two fresh basil leaves

6. 10 drops watermelon flavored liquid stevia

7. 10 drops coconut liquid stevia

8. "Nogurt" and dried basil for topping

Method

1.  Blend all ingredients in your high speed blender until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to eat. Ssrve chilled, garnished with Nogurt (previous post) and dried basil, if desired. Enjoy!

A soup for spring (well, sorta spring...): Chilled Cantaloupe Banana Soup.

Soup is probably one of my favorite things in the world to make. Soup of all kinds--hearty, silky, light, hot, cold, spicy, sweet, chunky, you name it...I love it! Ever since I got my vitamix last February, I've been kind of obsessed with its blending powers...thus, and increased obsession with homemade soups! 

We've had pretty wacky weagher this week here in central Va...it was 60 degrees AND SUNNY on Monday! But I'm not complaining--bring it ON! Needless to say, I was feeling super springy after my run Monday morning, and craving a nice light and cold breakfast. So...soup for brekkie? Yup. You guys shouldn't be surprised...I'm pretty traditional after all, right?! 😂😜 Enjoy!

   Chilled Cantaloupe Banana Soup. 

             Yes. I think yes indeed. 

Chilled Cantaloupe Banana Soup. Vegan, gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. 2 cups fresh chopped cantaloupe 

2. One large frozen banana (freeze SLICED!)

3. One cup light coconut or coconut-almond combo milk 

4. 10 drops coconut stevia

5. 6 oz. silken soft tofu

6. Chopped mint for garnish

Method

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in your vitamix or other high speed blender. 

2. Starting on low, slowly work up to high speed, blending until perfectly smooth. If you prefer a thinner soup, add water through the top spout as you blend. 

3. Pour into large bowl and garnish with chopped mint. YUMM!

Pink Lady Stew!

It never fails...every February, all I want to make is pink food. I undoubtedly blame that on all the cutesy Valentine's Day displays in stores. And it really doesn't take much to get me in the mood to cook holiday-themed food...I'm so sappy! 😂 

Anywho, the idea for this awesome stew came to me while I was cooking it. Totally serious right now! I just started throwing things into a pot, and voila! New favorite recipe! Hope you enjoy! (Hint: this one is PERFECT for "Soup Sundays"!)

                   Pink Lady Stew!

     Everything's better when it's pink!

Pink Lady Stew!; Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. 1 1/3 cups water, divided

2. 2 oz sliced red onion

3. 2 tsp minced garlic 

4. 1 T Apple cider vinegar

5. 1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach

6. 1 cup great northern beans (or other white beans)

7. 3/4 cup steamed, sliced beets (I used canned, actually. Just make sure they have no salt and no sugar added...just beets and water)

8. 1/2 packet stevia

9. 1/4 tsp nutmeg

10. Chives for garnish

Method 

1. Sauté onion and garlic in 1/3 cup water until soft. Add nutmeg and stir. Cook 2 minutes. 

2. Add rest of water, ACV, white beans, stevia, and spinach. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 5-10 minutes. 

3. Add beets and mix well. Simmer 5-10 more minutes, until water turns a bright pink. 

4. Serve in a large bowl, and garnish with chopped chives. 

Spicy Chipotle-Pumpkin Soup.

After feeling like I was coming down with something over the weekend, I've unfortunately today been hit hard by this nasty flu bug going around--and boy, I mean hard. It's rough--but vegan food always helps! And this soup sure did...temporarily at least! I made my bowl SUPER SPICY to try to "decongest" myself...but feel free to cut back on the chipotle powder. Otherwise, this is a lovely and super quick soup that is great for lunch or dinner--sick OR well! Enjoy!

       Spicy Chipotle-Pumpkin Soup.

                  Close up. Always! 

Spicy Chipotle-Pumpkin Soup; Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. 1 cup canned pure pumpkin purée 

2. 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth

3. 1/4 tsp each onion and garlic

powders 

4. 1/4-1/2 tsp chipotle powder (again, feel free to cut back!)

5. 1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed well 

6. 1 cup frozen corn

7. Dash braggs liquid aminos (about 1 tsp or less)

8. Oregano for garnish

Method

1. So easy...perfect lazy food haha! Combine pumpkin and broth in a sauce pan over medium heat. 

2. Add spices and aminos and stir. 

3. Add corn and beans and bring to a boil, stirring regularly. Reduce heat, and simmer about 10 minutes. 

4. Serve hot, topped with dried oregano leaves and rustic toast. Mmm. 

Soul-soothing Winter Vegetable Stew.

If you're like me and unluckily got sick over Christmas, you weren't doing too much "ROCKIN' around the Christmas tree"...maybe not, but after you eat a comforting bowl of this hearty stew, you're sure to feel mostly (if not ALL!) better! 

     Soul-soothing Winter Vegetable Stew. 

Soul-soothing Winter Vegetable Stew; Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one.  

Ingredients

1.  1/4 cup chopped onion

2. 2 tsp minced garlic 

3. 1 2/3 c vegetable broth

4. 3/4 cup sliced steamed beets (you can used canned, just ensure no salt added)

5. 1 cup white beans

6. 1 cup frozen spinach

7. 2/3 cup frozen butternut squash cubes

8. Dash bragg's liquid aminos

9. 1/4 tsp each: basil, tarragon, sage, rosemary, thyme

10. Sprinkling of black pepper

Method

1. Sauté onion and garlic in a little veggie broth until soft. Add spices (except pepper) and aminos and stir. 

2. Add remaining veg broth, beans, spinach, and butternut squash. Bring to a boil and boil 2 minutes. 

3. Reduce to a simmer, add beets, and simmer 5 minutes. 

4. Remove from heat, add pepper, stir, and serve. Pairs beautifully with rustic toasted bread! Mmmmm. 

Sweet India Spice Soup.

This is a pretty strange recipe, I have to say. I randomly came up with this idea while I was driving. I mulled it over in my brain for about a month, trying to decide if I really wanted to make it or not. You see, half of me thought it would rock, and half of me thought it would be disgusting. Fortunately, the former was true! Go ahead and be adventurous and make this soup. Weird but tasty, I promise!

            Sweet India Spice Soup.  

                         Up close. 

   Want it even weirder?! I topped mine  with ground flaxseed. Yummers!

Sweet India Spice Soup; Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. One chai flavored tea bag (I used celestial seasonings Bengal Spice flavor)

2. 2 cups boiling water

3. 1 cup frozen spinach

4. 2/3 cup frozen carrots

5. 1/2 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

6. 10 drops liquid coconut stevia

7. 1 T ground flaxseed, optional for topping

Method

1. Place your tea bag in a moderate size bowl. Pour over the 2 cups boiling water and let steep about 10-15 minutes. 

2. Once steeped, squeeze out tea bag and pour tea into a small soup pot. Add remaining ingredients EXCEPT FLAXSEED (if using) and turn heat to high. 

3. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and stir, and carefully pour into a bowl. Too with flax if desired. Told you it was weird. 

Mighty Miso Soup.

 Soup is definitely a go-to for me. For example, this recipe was invented after getting home kind of late and simply digging through the fridge to use up what I had left before going to the store. Simple, quick, super yummy and filling, this soup is great for any season and any time of day! Hope you enjoy! 

                 Mighty Miso Soup. 

Mighty Miso Soup; Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. 1 and 2/3 cup low sodium vegetable broth

2. One large leaf Bok choy, chopped 

3. 3 oz. carrot "matchsticks"

4. 1 T bragg's liquid aminos

5. 1/4 cup chopped onion

6. Onion powder, garlic powder, and ginger powder to taste

7. 1/2 package (4 oz.) noodles of choice (I used tofu shirataki noodles)

Method

1. This soup is so SO easy. Simply add all ingredients to a medium size soup pot and cook over medium heat until bubbling and until Bok choy, carrots, and onion are tender. Pour ion large bowl and enjoy!

                So simple. So yummy! 

Herbed Apple White Bean and Spinach Soup

I love a good 30 minute dish. The only thing I love MORE than a 39 minute dish? A 15 minute dish! Yes, yes, you probably guessed where I am going with this. This soup takes 15 minutes (or less!) start to finish. Perfect for a quick lunch or dinner. And I know it's spring, but who says you can't have a spring-y soup?! It's 45 degrees in Virginia today anyway...!

   Herbed Apple White Bean and Spinach Soup. 

Herbed Apple White Bean and Spinach Soup; Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1.  1 cup low sodium vegetable broth 

2.  1/2 cup canned navy beans, drained and rinsed

3.  One small green apple, chopped 

4.  Onion and garlic powders to taste

5.  1/4 tsp EACH parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme 

6.  2 cups fresh spinach leaves, torn

Method 

1. In a small soup pot, combine broth, spices, and beans. Heat over medium high heat as you add your chopped apple. 

2. Simmer for 10 minutes, then remove from heat and stir in spinach. Pour into bowl and serve! 

                            Bliss. 

Black Bean Plantain Soup.

Plantains are without a doubt very yummy. But often I struggle with what to do with them when I buy them. This soup was one of those "I really need to use this  *insert food item here* so let's just make some soup out of it" recipes. But hey, the simplest recipes are sometimes the best, am I right?!

            Black Bean Plantain Soup. 

Black Bean Plantain Soup; Vegan, Gluten-free. Serves one. 

Ingredients

1. 3/4 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed

2. 4 oz. plantain, sliced and chopped

3. 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

4. 1/4 tsp cinnamon

5. Dash of cumin

6. 2 tsp minced ginger, minced

7. 3 cups fresh spinach leaves

Method

1. In a small soup pot, warm your almond milk along with the fresh ginger over medium heat. Do not boil. 

2. When warm, add cinnamon and cumin. Stir and cook about 5 minutes. 

3. Add black beans and plantain and stir. Cook 10 minutes. 

4. Remove from heat and stir in spinach leaves. Let sit about 3 minutes and pour into bowl to serve. Enjoy!

Smooth 'n Spicy Red Bean Soup

Just because it's spring doesn't mean I can't still have my beloved soup. Soup is such an easy meal. Just liquid, veggies, protein, grains (if you desire), spices, and BOOM. Dinner is served. This soup is a tad bit more tedious than my other soup recipes I've shared, but it's worth it TRUST me. Man, oh man. This stuff rocks. I served mine with "Cheezy" Enchiladas (I just used two oat flour tortillas,  filled them with my "Basic Cheese Sauce", and topped them with a quick Enchilada sauce of tomato paste, water, cumin, oregano, and cayenne. Perfect!), which made for a very delicious and filling meal.

Oh-so-Smooth 'n Spicy Red Bean Soup. Mmmmmm.

Smooth 'n Spicy Red Bean Soup; Vegan, Gluten-Free. Serves One.

Ingredients

1. 1/2 cup small red beans (dried)
2. 1 cup salt-free or low sodium vegetable broth
3. 1/3-1/2 cup water
4. 1/4 cup chopped onion
5. 2 tsp minced garlic
6. 1 T Bragg's liquid aminos
7. to taste: cumin, oregano, chipotle powders
8. hot sauce and black pepper, for garnish

Method

1. Combine beans in a small soup pot with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, boil for 10 minutes. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Uncover and cook until tender. 
2. Saute onion and garlic in a nonstick pan in 1 T aminos. Cook 2 minutes, add spices, and cook until liquid is gone. 
3. Drain beans and place in a Vitamix with broth, onion sauté, and extra water. Blend on HIGH until smooth. 
4. Pour into bowl and top with hot sauce and black pepper.

Note: I like my soup on the thick side, so I added between 1/3 and 1/2 cup (I didn't measure). If you prefer a thinner soup, you can add as much excess water as you like. Just add as you go so you don't put too much in. 

Sweet Green Pea and Mint Soup

I love spring. Absolutely love it. The sights, the smells, the colors. Ahhhh, so refreshing. This soup epitomizes spring. The loveliest shade of green, combined with the luscious aroma of fresh mint. Yum, yum, yum. Perfect for a light meal when you don't want to heat the kitchen up. Enjoy!

Sweet Green Pea and Mint Soup.

Sweet Green Pea and Mint Soup; Vegan, Gluten-Free. Serves One.

Ingredients

1. 1 1/2 cups frozen green peas
2. 1 cup almond milk
3. 4 fresh mint leaves
4. 1/2 tsp stevia

Method

1. In a medium size bowl, place peas and cover with water. Microwave for 2 minutes. 
2. Drain peas and place in Vitamix along with milk and 3 of the 4 mint leaves. Blend on HIGH until smooth. 
3. Pour into a bowl and top with remaining mint leaf.