Adzuki Bean Soup

This is another medicinal vegan/macrobiotic recipe from Ann Gentry's "Vegan Family Meals" Cookbook. A great soup to create when you're feeling nutritionally depleted and want to incorporate something ultra healthy. The best part is that you can store leftover soup in single serving Tupperware in the freezer. Keeps well for one month in the freezer and 2 days covered and refrigerated.

Ingredients
7 cups water
2 cups dried adzuki beans, rinsed
1 (6" x 1 half") dried kombu
2 tsp fine sea salt
2 large onions, finely chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and finely diced
4 celery stalks, finely diced
2 medium turnips, peeled and finely diced
2 tbs tamari or soy sauce
1 (2") piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
* 2-3 dashes of hot pepper sauce!

Directions

1. Combine the water, adzuki beans and kombu in a heavy pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Decrease the heat to medium-low, the cover and simmer until the beans are semi-soft, about 25 minutes.
3. As the beans boil, skim off any foam that rises to the top. Uncover the beans and stir in salt; cook for 5 more minutes. Make sure the beans are not tender at this point.
4. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the onions to the beans and bring to a simmer.
5. Decrease the heat again to medium-low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 15 minutes.
6. Stir in the carrots, celery, turnips, tamari, ginger, garlic, thyme and black pepper. Cover and cook and cover until the soup thickens slightly but is still loose and pourable and the beans are tender, about 25 minutes.
7. Ladle the soup into bowls add stir in hot sauce, if desired.
   

Turkish Lentil Soup

One of my favorite soup recipes from Real Food Daily owner, Ann Gentry's cookbook, "The Real Food Daily Cookbook."

Ingredients
2 tbs olive oil

2 onions, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbs fresh rosemary, chopped

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp cayenne

1/2 cup medium-coarse bulgur

1 (14 1/2-oz) can whole tomatoes

1/4 cup tomato paste

10 cups vegetable stock or water

1 3/4 cups dried lentils, picked through and rinsed

4 cups lightly packed fresh spinach leaves (6 oz)

1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley

2 1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy stockpot. Add the onions to saute for 8 minutes, or until translucent.
2. Stir in the garlic, rosemary, bay leaf, cayenne and then the bulgur. Saute over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the bulgur is lightly toasted and the onions are golden brown.
3. Squeeze the tomatoes into the bulgur mixture and add the juices from the can. Stir in the tomato paste, and then the stock and lentils. Bring to a simmer over high heat.
4. Decrease the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.
5. Stir in the spinach until just tender and add parsley, salt and pepper. Simmer 2 minutes longer, or until the spinach wilts.
6. Discard the bay leaf and season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if desired.
   

The soup will keep for 2 days, covered and refrigerated.
Serves: 6-8

Curried Red Lentil Soup

A wonderful recipe from Ann Gentry's, "Vegan Family Meals: Real Food for Everyone." Ann is the owner of Real Food Daily in Los Angeles which happens to be one of my favorite restaurants.

Ingredients
8 cups water
2 cups red lentils, picked through and rinsed
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs minced and peeled fresh ginger
1 tbs olive oil
2 tsp fine seal salt
1/4 fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tbs curry powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 lemon, halved

Directions
1. Combine the water and lentils in a heavy pot. Bring to a simmer over high heat, skimming off the foam that rises to the top. Decrease the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, ginger, olive oil, and the 2 tbs salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the lentils are falling apart, about 20 minutes.

3. Stir in the cilantro, curry powder, and cumin. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very tender and the soup thickens slightly, about 20 minutes.

4. Ladle the soup into bowls. Squeeze a few generous drops of lemon juice into each bowl of soup and serve.

5. The soup will keep for 2 days, covered and refrigerated, or for 1 month frozen. To rewarm, bring the soup to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally and adding water to thin the soup to the desired consistency.

Serves 8 to 10 (makes about 10 cups)