Vegan Mofo Round Up

It is officially the last day of Vegan Mofo. It has been an interesting month making different soups although I would have definitely loved to add more recipes but unfortunately family duties took over and time got in the way.

Anyway, here's a round up of the soups posted: 

Minestrone Soup: Classic hearty italian soup with chunks of fresh veggies and pasta in a flavorful tomato and vegetable broth.

African Peanut Soup: Rich and creamy soup with the goodness of peanut butter and a bit of heat from cayenne pepper.

Tortilla Soup: Get a taste of Mexico in a bowl with this classic and flavorful tortilla soup.

Mulligatawny Soup: Spicy indian soup made with lentils and thickened with rice.

Gazpacho: Refreshingly cold spanish soup that is perfect for the summer season (although its officially Fall, you can still enjoy this soup on a nice sunny day).

Cuban Black Bean Soup: Hearty soup filled with earthy flavors. Pair it with a cuban salad or sandwich to complete a meal.

Ukrainian Borscht: Vegetable soup made primarily with beets. Can be served hot or cold.

Tom Yum Soup: Hot and Sour Thai soup with aromatic herbs like lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, lime juice and thai chilli peppers. 

Cream of Carrot Soup: Healthy and delicious bowl of creamy carrot soup without any cream. 

Vegetable Miso Soup: Light and flavorful japanese miso soup, perfect as an appetizer.

All said and done, it felt good participating in Mofo  and I enjoyed following other Mofo-ers this month...lot of inspiring recipes, some totally indulgent and drool worthy too.  Hopefully, the next time around, I will have more interesting recipes to share. So, until then, happy blogging y'all!!

Vegetable Miso Soup

Miso is fermented beans, mostly soybeans. My Mofo Post 10, Miso soup is a traditional Japanese soup made using 'dashi' stock. Dashi is a japanese soup base that is prepared by soaking kombu (kelp), niboshu (dried sardines), katsuobushi (dried bonita - fish flakes) or shiitake(dried shiitake mushrooms). The vegetarian version uses kombu and/or shiitake mushrooms.

Miso paste comes in several variations such as white (shiro miso), red (aka miso) and mixed (awase). Miso paste is chosen based on the ingredient it is normally cooked with, and the taste varies from mellow to intense. The miso paste when added to the soup has a good amount of saltiness (which I am not generally used to). So, a low-sodium miso paste might be better, especially, if you are conscious about your salt intake.

Talking about salt, all I can think about, is my daughter. For everyday cooking, we consume less salt when compared to others (don't worry, I don't cook that way when I have friends/family over). But my daughter, on the other hand, has a picky palate!! She refuses to eat any food with less salt in it. I can already sense that she is going to be my biggest critic as she grows up.

Miso soup served with white rice is a traditional japanese breakfast. Despite, its reputation for high sodium content, studies show that miso-based diets can lower the risk of cardiovascular problems. Also, consuming more than 2 cups of miso soup, can reduce the risk of breast cancer in women. It is a good source of vitamin K, minerals, protein and dietary fiber. It contains antioxidants that increase with fermentation period. Did you know that 2 tablespoons of soy-based miso is equivalent to a quarter cup of legume?

It is one of the easiest soups to make. If you have miso paste, you are almost half way there. Add veggies of your choice and enjoy this easy and light miso soup.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup button (or shiitake) mushrooms, thinly sliced (approx. 3-4 medium sized mushrooms)
1/4 cup nappa cabbage, roughly chopped
2 - 3 tbsp scallions, finely chopped (green and white part)
1/4 cup soft/silken tofu (8-10  1" cubes)
3 cups filtered water
2 tbsp white miso (shinshu) paste 
1-2 tbsp wakame or dried seaweed, shredded (optional)
Dash of low-sodium soy sauce (optional)
1/8 tsp hot sesame oil (optional)

Method:

Choice of vegetables is based on your preference. It is suggested to keep vegetables at a minimal instead of having them dominate the soup. Grated carrot is also a good addition to the soup.

In a stock pot, on medium heat, add water, nappa  cabbage, sliced mushrooms and white part of the scallions (almost like a quick veggie broth). Simmer for 4-5 mins until mushrooms and nappa cabbage shrink slightly.

Note: If adding dried seaweed, add it to the water and let it simmer for 5-6 mins until all the fishy smell is gone and then add the rest of the ingredients.

Add tofu and boil for 2-3 mins. 

In a small bowl, add the miso paste and ladle 1/4 cup of the simmering vegetable broth. Stir well using a fork or whisk to soften the miso paste.

Add the softened miso paste into the broth and mix well. Simmer for 2-3 mins until miso is dissolved (Do not boil the miso as it will lose all its healthy enzymes). 

Add soy sauce, hot sesame oil and green part of the scallions. Simmer for 1-2 min and turn off stove.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with scallions (green part only). Serve hot with rice(optional).

Makes 3 servings. 

Cream of Carrot Soup

Its been a couple days since I posted anything on the blog. Things don't always happen as planned, especially, if there is a kid in the equation. My poor baby has been going through a bad case of the stomach bug. Apparently, it is a common illness if a kid attends daycare. I can't believe its so easy to catch on such stuff....it's her 2nd round in the past month and a half. It has her completely drained out. Doctors have nothing to say except to be prepared for some sort of sickness (mostly cold and stomach bug/flu) every month. Really??? Its hard enough to see your kid go through any kind of illness and to add to it, having to go through it every month!!! God save me and the little one!! Unfortunately. there isn't any way out of this, hopefully, she'll grow out of it soon.

Anyway, coming back to my Mofo posts, it is a bit disappointing that I will not be able to complete my Mofo with 20 posts but I'll try and post as many as I can, for the remainder of this month.

Carrot has been a staple ingredient in our house, especially for my daughter. Every time, I make some sort of indian dal or khichdi (toor or masoor dhal, rice and veggies with spices) for her, it usually has carrot along with some other veggies.  In India, 'Gaajar Ka Halwa', a popular sweet dish, is made using grated carrots, milk, sugar, nuts and clarified butter. Who doesn't like a carrot??? Its crunchy, sweet and healthy too.

Carrots have a natural sweetness which makes it a great snack for everyone. It is rich in antioxidants, vitamins and fiber. This low-calorie vegetable is loaded with beta-carotene which converts to vitamin A when consumed (FYI, deeper the orange color of the carrot, more the beta-carotene). Most commonly available carrot is of orange color, but there are other varieties and colors too. Did you know that recent studies at Harvard University suggests that people who eat more than 5 carrots per week are less likely to suffer a stroke when compared to those that ate just 1 carrot a month?? Need I say more?

So, here's my Mofo Post 9, Cream of Carrot Soup. The best part is that its creamy without any cream in it. Wondering how??? The secret is OATS!! Long time ago, I read an article online that mentioned about substitutes for healthier options which had oats for cream based soups. Now, what better time to try it out than Mofo? Easy, healthy and delicious bowl of creamy carrot soup.  Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grater or minced + 2 tsp ginger juice 
1 lb carrots, peeled and diced (approx. 2 3/4 cup)
1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (optional), adjust to taste
2 1/2 tbsp rolled oats
3  cups water (or vegetable broth)
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Method:

In a stock pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and crushed red pepper (if using). Sauté until the onions are soft, for 4-5 mins.

Add carrots and grated ginger and cook for 5 mins. 

Add water (or broth), salt, pepper and rolled oats to the pot and stir well. 

Bring to a boil, reduce to medium-low and simmer for 20-25 mins until the carrots are tender. The soup will slightly thicken.

Note: You can use a pressure cooker to prepare the soup. On medium heat, cook for 3-4 whistles until carrots and other ingredients are tender. This process is much faster when compared to cooking in a stock pot/dutch oven.

In a food processor or blender, pour the soup and blend until creamy. If it is too thick,  add water or broth, for desired consistency.

Simmer the creamy soup for 4-5 mins and add ginger juice (grind the ginger with little water), if using. Check seasoning and adjust to taste. If desired, you can add 1/2-1 tsp lemon juice. 

Garnish with a dollop of non dairy yogurt or sour cream and a sprinkle of freshly chopped dill or parsley. Serve hot with a simple grilled cheese toast.

Makes 3-4 servings.