Roasted Red Pepper and Potato soup

This recipe was highly inspired by the New York Times Recipes for Health. This soup is silky smooth and bright red. Bell peppers promote optimal health by reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, increasing lung health and may even promote better eyesight.

 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

Salt

4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1 tablespoon tomato paste

4 large red bell peppers, roasted, seeds removed and peeled

2 teaspoons paprika

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

4-6 cups vegetable stock

A bouquet garni made with a bay leaf, a bit of rosemary, thyme and parsley, tied together in a bundle

Freshly ground pepper

Soy milk (about 1/4 cup)

 

For garnish (optional) :

Garlic croutons (toast thin slices of bread or baguette and rub a cut clove of garlic)

Basil leaves or fresh thyme

Olive oil

 

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large soup pot, add the onion and carrot. Cook, stirring often, until the onion begins to soften, and then add 1/ teaspoon salt. Continue to cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes, and stir in the garlic and tomato paste. Stir for a minute or two, until the garlic is fragrant and the tomato paste has darkened, and then add the roasted peppers, paprika and another 1/2 teaspoon salt.

 

Add the potatoes, stock and bouquet garni, and bring to a simmer. Add salt to taste, cover and simmer over low heat for one hour. Remove the bouquet garni.

 

Blend the soup with a hand blender or in batches in a blender. Add soy milk, to taste and desired consistency. Heat through, add salt and pepper to taster, and serve.

 

Garnish with garlic croutons, fresh basil and drizzle with olive oil.

 

Serves 4

 

*To roast the bell peppers, cook in a 425F degrees for about 25 minutes, turning a few times, or until the peppers blackened on all sides. Set aside to cool, the blackened peel will then be easily removed

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Vegan Baked Beans

When I was a child, my mother would always cook up a batch of baked beans during the holidays. I remember waking up in the morning and smelling the absolutely wonderful aroma of beans cooking slowly overnight in sweet and tangy ingredients such as tomatoes, molasses and/or maple syrup, vinegar, etc. I had to come up with a vegan of baked beans which my mom cooked with bacon of course. If you can find vegan bacon, it will give this dish a nice smoky flavor and aroma, but the baked beans will also be excellent without it.

Starting the new year with baked beans in the oven might just be my new tradition! Healthy and comforting. This is definitely my comfort food!

An added bonus : blackstrap molasses are full of iron and calcium and navy beans are full of fiber!

To a wonderfully healthy New Year!

3 cup dry navy beans
9 cups water
2 large onions, 1 diced and 1 left whole
1/3 cup blackstrap molasses
2 tablespoons agave nectar (or maple syrup)
2 tablespoons mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
2-3 strips of vegan bacon

Mix the beans and water in a large container and refrigerate them overnight or for about 7-8 hours.

Drain the water and replace it with nine cups of fresh water. Bring the mixture to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and simmer for about 45 minutes, or until the beans aren’t quite done but are beginning to get tender. Drain the mixture again, setting aside 2 cups or the drained liquid.

Mix the beans, chopped onions, molasses, agave nectar, mustard, apple cider vinegar, diced tomatoes and salt in a large covered preferably ceramic casserole. Top the casserole with a whole onion pressing it into the bean mixture. Top with vegan bacon. Bake (overnight) at 250 degrees F for 6 to 9 hours. Remove the cover for the last hour.

Check the mixture a few times and add a little of the saved liquid if the beans are too thick.

Serves at least 8 for breakfast or brunch.

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