Veggie Box Soup

We recently started getting a vegetable box to supplement our growing garden and enjoying our weekly abundance from Farm Fresh to You, a local organic produce delivery service – http://www.farmfreshtoyou.com/index.php.  In our box, we are graced with a newsletter that has a few recipes that includes ingredients that have been in our box for that week.  I choose to test out the Tomato & Onion Soup.  While I wish I could claim this recipe as my own, I certainly have to give credit where credit is due.  Of course soup is my favorite weeknight dinner, it includes everything you need in one bowl and is perfectly satisfying.  This recipe is so incredibly simple, I was skeptical.  But I must say, that I was pleasantly surprised; roasted veggies, and water?

Set all your vegetables on a cooking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt & pepper.

After vegetables have roasted in the oven for about 55 minutes at 400 degrees, puree half of the veggies, half of the chopped basil and all of the garlic in a blender (or use a hand blender in a saucepan) with 1 cup water.

 After vegetables, garlic, water and basil are blended, mix the rest of the whole vegetables, basil, water, 1 cup 2% milk, salt and pepper to taste.  Let simmer for a few minutes until clearly heated.

Once heated through, serve immediately.

Tomato and Onion Soup

6 large tomatoes, quartered

1lb carrots, chopped (no need to peel)

1 red onion, thinly sliced (not paper-thin, but thin enough – original recipe called for onion, I chose a red onion for the flavor)

4 cloves garlic, peeled

1/2 cup basil, chopped

2 cups water

1 cup 2% milk (non fat is called for in the original recipe, but I really preferred the 2%)

Olive oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place all vegetables on baking sheet and lightly drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Toss lightly and place in oven.  Cook for 55 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Do not worry about stirring too much, the veggies need to get very brown and over caramelized – this brings out more roasted flavor in the soup itself.  Pull vegetables out of the oven and divide in half.  Place half of the vegetables and all of the garlic cloves in a blender (or place in a saucepan and use a hand blender), with 1 cup water and 1/2 of the basil and blend.  Place rest of vegetables, water, milk and basil in saucepan with blended vegetables and bring to a simmer over medium high heat.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.  

Enjoy!  We certainly did!

Notes: My husband commented to me that the soup tasted even better the next day when he reheated it for lunch, so if you feel like waiting on it let the soup sit in the fridge for a day and reheat.

I’d sell my soul for soup

Soup.  I love soup.  After visiting the Farmers Market this past sunny Sunday morning and coming home with a load of fresh fruits and veggies, I realize that I absolutely L.O.V.E. the process of making soup.  There’s no denying that it’s a borderline addiction I have to the alchemy of melding veggies and spices in a large pot and simmering them for hours; to see what creation I can come up with.  I’ll never tire of a good hearty soup to nourish my soul.

Farmer’s Market Carrot Leek Soup

6 large leeks washed well, halved and sliced medium

6 medium carrots peeled, halved and sliced medium

1/2 bunch of celery washed with ends chopped off, medium chopped

3 knorr bouillon cubes (I use vegetable, but chicken or beef could be substituted)

6 cups water

1 Tbl olive oil

Spices to taste

In large pot, saute leeks over medium heat with olive oil until slightly tender.  Smash bouillon cubes and mix in until disintegrated.  Add 1 cup water and let simmer for a few minutes with top off pot.  Add carrots and 4 more cups of water.  Over medium heat bring to a boil place top on pot and simmer for 1 hour.  Toss in celery and one cup water and let simmer until vegetables are cooked through.  Add your favorite spices* and let simmer for another 15 minutes – 1/2 hour.  Enjoy!

Makes about 6-8 servings.

*  This time I used (and did not measure), dried mustard, ginger, cumin and hot paprika.  The bouillon has a lot of salt in it, so it was not necessary to add any.