Meatless Monday – Hot and Sour Soup

by joycevandenbergporterDecember 26, 2016

If hot soup equals a warm belly, what about hot soup that is also hot-spicy? As you can see, I’m still on my hot soup bender – and judging by the forecast for seven days of rain next week, it’s not ending any time soon. My husband is in bed with the sniffles so I decided that Hot and Sour Soup would be the perfect antidote. I am a true believer in the medicinal power of soup. I used to rely on chicken soup but now I’m looking for vegetarian options and it looks like this one will do the trick. Hot and Sour Soup contains anti inflammatory aromatics, like red chile and ginger, lending some truth to the old saying, that ‘soup is medicine in a bowl.’

This soup has all the healing properties you need to fight infections, help digestion and boost both your immune system and your metabolism. It’s also a great way to warm up on a cold winter’s day. The soup’s warm and silky texture feels great on a sore throat, and its hot and sour flavors help clear a stuffy nose and sweat out toxins. Plus the combination of mushrooms, tofu and bamboo shoots swimming in a flavorful broth that tickles your tastebuds is reason enough to enjoy this satisfying dish.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia.org

Here’s your fun fact of the day: Bamboo Shoots are not just an empty filler only found in Chinese food. They are rich in dietary fiber, vitamins (including B vitamins) and minerals, especially copper and iron which are used to produce red blood cells and potassium, important for healthy heart and blood pressure. They also contain 2.5 grams of protein per 100 g serving for the low price of 27 calories. Not bad for such an innocuous little veggie… The photo above is of a young bamboo shoot just peeking above the ground. I decided to look it up because I didn’t know what they look like in nature. You’re welcome.

I have made this soup once before but this time I’m perfecting it. It is based on a Tyler Florence recipe which I veganized and added a bit more spice (because I love it). Here is the original Food Network Recipe which was my inspiration. Don’t forget to try a few drops of sesame oil on the top. Mmmm…

TIPS: Most Hot and Sour recipes call for Chinese mushrooms like wood ear or cloud ear which are easier to find dried than fresh. However, any kind of mushroom can be used. I used a combination of fresh criminy and maitake which provides good flavor and texture. If you use dried mushrooms, pour boiling water over them and let sit for about a half hour to reconstitute, then slice. The scallions, cilantro and sesame oil are optional garnishes but I think they add a lot. I liked the sesame oil so much that next time I may add it right to the pot.

HOT AND SOUR SOUP

2 Tbsn light oil (avocado or canola)
1 Tbsn fresh ginger, finely grated (or ginger paste)
2 Tbsn red chili paste
1 4 oz can bamboo shoots
2 cups criminy mushrooms, sliced
1 small clump maitake mushrooms(optional)
1 block extra firm tofu, cubed
1/4 cup soy sauce (or liquid aminos for GF)
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
2 tsp sugar
2 quarts vegetable broth
3 Tbsn cornstarch + 1/4 cup water
1 large egg, room temperature (optional)
scallions, chopped (optional)
cilantro, chopped (optional)
sesame oil (optional)

If you are using dried mushrooms, put them in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for 30 minutes to reconstitute. Drain and rinse and discard any hard clusters in the centers. Wipe fresh mushrooms clean with a paper towel and slice. Pull apart Maitake mushrooms.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high flame. Add the ginger, chili paste, mushrooms and bamboo shoots; cook and stir for 1 minute to infuse the flavor.

Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar in a small bowl and add it to the mushroom mixture. Gently stir in the tofu taking care not to break the cubes apart.

Add the vegetable broth and simmer for 10 minutes. Dissolve the cornstarch in the water and stir until smooth. Slowly pour it into the soup and continue to simmer until the soup thickens.

Remove the soup from the heat and stir in 1 direction to get a current going, then stop stirring. Slowly pour in the beaten egg in a steady stream. It should feather and spread out in the broth.

Serve with chopped green onions and cilantro, and drizzle with a few drops of sesame oil, if desired.

Hot and Sour Soup

Servings: 4
Time: 30 minutes or less
Difficulty: easy
Print

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2 Tbsn light oil (avocado or canola)
1 Tbsn fresh ginger, finely grated (or ginger paste)
2 Tbsn red chili paste
1 4 oz can bamboo shoots
2 cups criminy mushrooms, sliced
1 small clump maitake mushrooms(optional)
1 block extra firm tofu, cubed
1/4 cup soy sauce (or liquid aminos for GF)
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
2 tsp sugar
2 quarts vegetable broth
3 Tbsn cornstarch + 1/4 cup water
1 large egg, room temperature
scallions, chopped (optional)
cilantro, chopped (optional)
sesame oil (optional)
If you are using dried mushrooms, put them in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for 30 minutes to reconstitute. Drain and rinse and discard any hard clusters in the centers. Wipe fresh mushrooms clean with a paper towel and slice. Pull apart Maitake mushrooms.
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high flame. Add the ginger, chili paste, mushrooms and bamboo shoots; cook and stir for 1 minute to infuse the flavor.
Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar in a small bowl and add it to the mushroom mixture. Gently stir in the tofu taking care not to break the cubes apart.
Add the vegetable broth and simmer for 10 minutes.
Dissolve the cornstarch in the water and stir until smooth. Slowly pour it into the soup and continue to simmer until the soup thickens.
Remove the soup from the heat and stir in 1 direction to get a current going, then stop stirring. Slowly pour in the beaten egg in a steady stream. It should feather and spread out in the broth.
Serve with chopped green onions and cilantro, and drizzle with a few drops of sesame oil, if desired.

Meatless Monday – Butternut Squash Barley Risotto

by joycevandenbergporterDecember 12, 2016

Risotto is so rich and creamy that it seems fancy and somewhat decadent. Well this version is no different, even though it is made without meat or dairy and I used barley instead of the traditional Arborio rice which adds flavor and interest. If you are intimidated by making risotto at home, don’t be. It’s actually a pretty easy (mostly) one pot dish. Yes, you do have to stir it but not constantly. You don’t have to be a slave to the stove but it is the technique of slowly adding broth and allowing it to absorb into the barley which creates the rich and creamy almost sauce-like texture which is the result of the barley releasing starch into the broth. Starch is that magic ingredient that helps marry the ingredients. (This is same reason I always save a cup of cooking water when making pasta). The barley risotto is a wonderful, slightly chewy consistency and the butternut squash is sweet and perfectly accented by the lovely ‘sauce’ and fresh tangy sage. The end result is worth the extra attention, however, I have a short cut in TIPS below for those who can’t be bothered but still like the idea of butternut squash and barley.

Risotto is traditionally made with Arborio rice which lends itself to a creamy consistency but I decided to use pearl barley instead to give my risotto a heartier, winter ‘stick to your ribs’ feel and to boost the nutrition. So what exactly is pearl barley? Pearl Barley, or pearled barley, is barley that has been processed to remove its hull and bran. All barley must have its fibrous outer hull removed before it can be eaten; pearl barley is then polished to remove the bran layer. Although pearl barley is not a whole grain, it still has twice as much fiber than white and brown rice. Adding fiber to your diet helps prevent cardiovascular disease and diabetes and keeps your digestive system running smoothly. Pearl barley also has almost four times the amount of calcium than white rice but white rice, surprisingly has a bit more iron and more protein. Go figure. You can also buy hulled barley, which still has the bran, for even more nutrition. It may not make as creamy of a dish and will take about 20 minutes more to soften. To read more on Livestrong, click HERE

TIPS: If you like this combination of ingredients but don’t have the patience to add the broth a half cup at a time, just saute the onions and squash, then add 3 cups of broth, the squash and half the sage, cover and cook on low heat about 25 minutes. Stir in parmesan and remaining sage. It won’t be as creamy but should still taste pretty good. Since the squash will continue to steam, it may fall apart but that is probably okay.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND BARLEY RISOTTO

4 cups vegetable broth plus 2 cups water
2 teaspoons olive oil, butter or vegan butter (0r half and half)
¹⁄₂ large onion, chopped
2 cups butternut squash, diced into bite sized pieces
1 cup pearl barley (or arborio rice)
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped or ¹⁄₂ teaspoon dried
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese (optional)

In a small saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Cover, and reduce heat to low. Heat oil in a medium sized pot and saute onion over medium heat until tender.

Add squash and sauté for another 5 minutes.

Add barley and stir to coat. Add 1/2 cup of the boiled broth, and chopped sage. Simmer, stirring often until broth is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

Add remaining broth slowly, about 1/2 cup at a time, allowing it to be absorbed each time before adding more.

Cook until the barley is tender but still firm, about 35-40 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

Remove from heat and stir in parmesan and remaining sage.

Serve with fresh sage or parsley, if desired.

Butternut Squash Barley Risotto

Servings: 4
Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: easy
Print

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4 cups vegetable broth plus 2 cups water
2 teaspoons olive oil, butter or vegan butter (0r half and half)
¹⁄₂ large onion, chopped
2 cups butternut squash, diced into bite sized pieces
1 cup pearl barley (or arborio rice)
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped or ¹⁄₂ teaspoon dried
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese (optional)

In a small saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Cover, and reduce heat to low.
Heat oil in a medium sized pot over medium heat.
Add onion and sauté until tender.
Add squash and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add barley and stir for 2 more minutes.
Add 1/2 cup of the boiled broth, and chopped sage. Simmer, stirring often until broth is absorbed, about 5 minutes.
Add remaining broth slowly, about 1/2 cup at a time, allowing it to be absorbed each time before adding more.
Cook until the barley is tender but still firm, about 35-40 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
Remove from heat and stir in parmesan cheese. Serve with fresh sage or parsley, if desired.

Meatless Monday – Creamy Mushroom Soup (Vegan)

by joycevandenbergporterDecember 5, 2016

Calling all mushroom lovers! My husband declared this the BEST MUSHROOM SOUP HE’S EVER HAD – and I have to agree with him. I have had some pretty delicious mushroom soups in restaurants but I think this one, stocked with a blend of earthy mushrooms and a rich and creamy base, beats them all. Best of all it is very easy, ready in less than 30 minutes and requires few ingredients. It’s vegan too! Many soups are made delicious by adding thick creamy ingredients that add fat and cholesterol and actually mask the natural flavors of the main ingredients. I substituted the traditional heavy cream with almond milk and veggie broth, thickened with a bit of flour, which really cuts calories without losing flavor. This soup was wonderful served immediately after cooking, but the small bowl that was leftover that I ate for lunch a couple of days later was even better. So this is a great soup to make a day or two ahead and reheat when needed. What could be easier? For other soup ideas, check out last week’s blog post, 12 Vegetarian Winter Soups.

The stars of this soup are the mushrooms, so choose your favorites but make sure they are good quality. I love a combination of mushrooms to deepen the flavor and add texture. I prefer brown criminy mushrooms over white mushrooms, also called button mushrooms, since I think they are more flavorful but how do they compare from a nutritional standpoint? White button mushrooms have more vitamin C and slightly more iron but criminy mushrooms are the clear mineral winner. Criminy mushrooms have twice as much calcium and significantly more potassium and selenium than white mushrooms. The two mushroom varieties contain similar amounts of vitamin B12, vitamin B6, riboflavin and niacin. Surprisingly, white mushrooms contain slightly more fiber and protein than criminis, although criminis are slightly lower in fat, however they are both extremely low in fat.(Livestrong) So nutritionally speaking, it’s really a toss up, so go with your tastebuds or better yet, use a combination for the ultimate in flavor and nutrition.

TIPS: I have provided substitutions in this recipe for gluten free people. For more information on gluten free thickening agents, check out this article from SF Gate. I would like to offer one word of caution for those who are not used to cooking with almond milk, make sure you buy unsweetened, not original flavor, or your soup stock will have an underlying sweetness that is hard to cover up.

CREAMY MUSHROOM SOUP

1 large onion, finely diced
2 Tbsn olive oil, butter or vegan butter ( like half oil half butter)
1 carton criminy or brown mushrooms (about 10 oz or 1 1/2 cups)
1 carton Portobello mushrooms (2 large or 10 small)
1 generous Tbsn flour (or cornstarch, arrowroot or tapioca flour for GF)
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried)
2 cups vegetable broth
1-2 cups almond or cashew milk (unsweetened)
2 tsp soy sauce (or liquid aminos for GF)
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion in olive oil or butter in a large soup pot until translucent.

Wipe mushrooms with a damp papertowel. Don’t rinse or they will get soggy. Cut smaller mushrooms in half and slice larger mushrooms. Really large Portobello slices might need to be cut in half.

Add mushrooms to onion mixture and saute about 5 minutes or until the mushrooms start to lose their water.

Stir in flour until absorbed by the juices and add thyme. Let cook several minutes. If you like really thick soups, add another tablespoon of flour.

Add vegetable broth, soy sauce and 1 cup almond milk and stir to combine. If you want it creamier, add the remaining almond milk.Cook about 10 to 15 minutes stirring occasionally until soup thickens and flavors develop. If your soup is not as thick as you would like, dissolve another tablespoon of flour in a quarter cup of water, stir in and allow to simmer. Taste (as broths can vary in saltiness) and add salt and pepper as needed.

Serve hot with a sprig of fresh thyme

Servings: 2-4
Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: easy
Print

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1 large onion, finely diced
2 Tbsn olive oil, butter or vegan butter
1 carton criminy or brown mushrooms (about 10 oz or 1 1/2 cups)
1 carton Portobello mushrooms (2 large or 10 small)
1 generous Tbsn flour (cornstarch, arrowroot or tapioca flour for GF)
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried)
2 cups vegetable broth
1-2 cups almond or cashew milk (unsweetened)
2 tsp soy sauce (or liquid aminos for GF)
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion in olive oil or butter in a large soup pot until translucent.
Wipe mushrooms with a damp papertowel. Don’t rinse or they will get soggy. Cut smaller mushrooms in half and slice larger mushrooms. Large Portobello slices might need to be cut in half.
Add mushrooms to onion mixture and saute about 5 minutes or until the mushrooms start to lose their water.
Stir in flour until absorbed by the juices and add thyme. Let cook several minutes
Add vegetable broth and 1 cup almond milk and stir to combine. If you want it creamier, add the remaining almond milk.
Cook about 10 to 15 minutes stirring occasionally until soup thickens and flavors develop. If your soup is not as thick as you would like, dissolve another tablespoon of flour in a quarter cup of water, stir in and allow to simmer 10 more minutes. Taste (as broths can vary in saltiness) and add salt and pepper as needed.
Serve hot with a sprig of fresh thyme