This has been one helluva winter here in New England. Each week for the past month and a half, we've had anywhere between 6 and 12 inches of snow dumped on our coastal CT neighborhood. Now, there's a melt happening, and flood warnings are happening all over the state.
Just as I'm writing this, I've spotted a robin on the fence outside the office window. She or he is chirping. Though snow is mounded everywhere and the day is grey and misty, the robin seems to be trying to convince me that spring is just around the corner.
I know it is. It's nice to have the little reminders, however.
Onward to the food. Over the fall and winter, I become a soup addict. It's warm, it's nourishing, most of them are easy to make, and some are made using the crockpot, which can be so wonderful to come home to after a full day and an evening meeting.
I made so much soup, that eventually D began protesting. He's a man who likes his stir-fries, noodle dishes, and tacos.
I still plan about two soup recipes on the menu a week. Because I can. ;)
Without further adieu, and in no particular order, here's a collection of my favorite interweb soup recipes I've made over the past few months:
Mushroom and Farro Soup
This mushroom-centric soup is brothy with a slight tang and a delicious flavor. It was a big hit with D, and I never got a chance to freeze any leftovers.
Portuguese Kale and White Bean Soup
This soup was a surprise - as in, I wasn't sure how much I would like it. I'm not a big fan of fennel, though I do like the subtle flavor fennel seeds can give to a soup or stew. This soup turned out to be a winner. I had a lot of kale from the garden and from the winter CSA, so this was a great way to use it.
Shiitake Ramen
I love the simplicity and flexibility of ramen. D loves noodles. I can swap out ingredients and toppings very easily, depending on what I have on hand. This recipe is a scrumptious and fairly basic ramen.
Lentil Vegetable Barley Soup
This is an easy and filling crockpot recipe. It's also nutritious and yummy! It is vegetarian, but D complained that it didn't have any chunks of beef. Lentils provide enough protein, but you can always add beef.
Slow Cooker Harira
Harira is a tangy Moroccan soup with a focus on lemons, lentils, and tomatoes. This was delicious, and I made a big batch so that I could freeze some and eat it later.
Vegetarian Tortilla Soup
If you like tacos, tortillas, nachos, all those tasty things, this soup is for you. I added extra limes, because I love the limes.
I would add a chili recipe, but D and I make our chili from scratch using whatever vegetables, spices, and beans delight us in that instant. I promise you, this haphazard way of cooking chili always turns out for the best.
Of course, there are soup and stew recipes I have prepared that are found in books - most noted is the Vegetarian Pho recipe in the "Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook." You can find pho recipes online, of course, but this book has a number of fabulous and filling vegetarian recipes.
On the horizon, I will be trying out the Roasted Jalapeno Soup, the Hot and Sour Dumpling Soup (replacing the shrimp with tofu), and African Sweet Potato Peanut Stew. I'll be sure to let you know how it turns out!
I leave you with a photo of that scintillating harira soup.
