For me, soup is like pasta. I could not tell you of one single variety that I love above all. Tomato, lentil, minestrone, mushroom and barley... these are just some off the top of my head that I would gladly consume year round. There are times when I'm a bit lazy and would opt for soup from the carton. This afternoon I cracked open some Trader Joe's tomato with roasted red pepper low sodium soup. Add a few oyster crackers and you're in hog heaven. Got any faves of your own?
I'm making soup today!! Zuppa Toscana (with vegan options) Timeline: September 20 to October 3rd Give it a try. Share with us what you think. Feel free to make adjustments and substitutions and tell us about it! 1 tbsp olive oil 8-16 ounces vegan Italian sausage* (vegan version) 2 tbsp (vegan) butter 2 tbsp flour 1 yellow onion diced ½ tbsp fennel seeds roughly chopped 1 tsp oregano ½ tsp black pepper plus more to taste red pepper flakes to taste 3 cloves garlic diced 4 cups water 1 cup (non-dairy) milk, unsweetened 2 tsp Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base** 1 tsp Better Than Bouillon No Beef Base** 5 small russet potatoes (or 2 large ones) peeled and diced into 1" cubes 2 cups kale stems removed and chopped Heat the olive oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Add the sausage and break it apart with a wooden spoon. Allow the sausage to brown, stirring frequently, for 7-10 minutes. Remove the sausage from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the butter to the pot and let it melt. Slowly whisk in the flour until the mixture is smooth and bubbly. Add the onion, fennel seeds, oregano, black pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes and stir to coat evenly. Continue to cook until the onion begins to soften (approx. 5-7 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Slowly pour in the water and milk. Add the bouillon and stir until it is combined. Add the potatoes to the pot, cover and bring to a boil. Once it has reached a boil, remove the lid and lower the heat. Simmer, uncovered, until the potatoes are fork tender (approx. 10 minutes). Add the kale and most of the cooked sausage back to the pot and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Serve the soup topped with more black pepper, red pepper flakes and the leftover sausage pieces. You can serve this with some crusty bread for dunking.
Pea soup. A nice thick pea soup with crackers. Sometimes I think I am the only person on earth that likes this.
