CREAMY TOMATO SOUP with PASTA and CHICKPEAS

February 4, 2020January 11, 2022

CREAMY TOMATO SOUP with PASTA and CHICKPEAS

Creamy Tomato Soup w/Chickpeas and Pasta

A healthy plant-based version of a comfort food, with a twist, from my childhood. An easy-to-toss together hearty tomato soup. This creamy soup is a staple in our house, we never get tired of it…make it your own by swapping out various beans and different pasta. To make another variety, substitute pasta with par-boiled brown rice. Add your favorite leafy greens to make it a super soup.

Serves: 6 ll Prep Time: 20 minutes ll Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1 small onions, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 (28 1/2-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, lo sodium
I (14 1/2-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), lo sodium, include brine
1 cup non-dairy milk
1 -2 cup vegetable stock, lo sodium
1 teaspoon salt-substitute such as Mrs. Dash’s Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2/3 cups whole wheat pasta noodles (elbow, penne, or your choice)
Leafy greens, torn into small pieces
Garnish: Sliced Almonds
Optional: 1 teaspoon unrefined sugar
Optional: 1 cup of par-boiled brown rice as a substitute for pasta

Directions:
Sautéing vegetables: In a medium soup pot, sauté diced onions and celery in a small amount of water or vegetable broth for 5 – 10 minutes or until onions are translucent.

Cooking soup: In the soup pot, combine remaining ingredients, except pasta and greens. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Lower heat, add pasta, cook for about an additional 10 minutes or until al dente. During the last few minutes, toss in leafy greens. Serve hot.

ENJOY THIS DELICIOUS PLANT-BASED TOMATO SOUP -WE DO!!

November 29, 2019November 28, 2019

CoachBJ’s African Cabbage Stew

A plant-based spicy stew served over brown rice makes a tasty and attractive Fall or any season healthy choice. CoachBJ’s African Cabbage Stew is chocked full of red cabbage, sweet potatoes, kidney beans, tomatoes with berbere and a handful of other spices. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1/2 head medium red cabbage, shredded
2 large sweet potatoes, cube (for stove top cooking, precook; no need to precook if using a pressure cooker)
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tablespoons (1″ fresh) ginger, minced or grated
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can cooked kidney beans, no salt added, include brine
1 (28-ounce) can Fire roasted diced tomatoes, no salt added
2-3 cups homemade or low sodium vegetable stock
3 tablespoons peanut butter powdered (PB2) or equivalent amount of fresh peanut butter
1/2 tablespoon (or to taste) Berbere
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Optional: leafy greens and brown rice
Optional: Kombu seaweed, 2″ long piece torn into small pieces

On the Stove Top: Shred cabbage and set aside. Cook sweet potatoes in the microwave (about 6 minutes) or roast beforehand in the oven. Scoop out cooked potato from skin and cube. In a large soup pot sauté onions, garlic and ginger root until onions are translucent. Add other ingredients, except cabbage, to the pot. Bring to a boil and reduce to medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook for about 15 minutes to meld all spices with ingredients. Add shredded red cabbage, cover, allow cabbage to steam for about 15 minutes or until tender (don’t overcook). Serve over leafy greens and brown rice.

In Pressure Cooker: Shred cabbage, cube sweet potatoes (unpeeled or peeled), dice onions, grate ginger root and slice garlic. Add these and all other ingredients into the pressure cooker. Bring to medium steam, cook for 4 minutes. Take off hot burner, allow to rest until pressure is released. Serve over leafy greens and brown rice.

AFRICAN STEW: A plant-based spicy stew served over brown rice, made in the pressure cooker in 4 minutes. This stew is chocked full of red cabbage, sweet potatoes, kidney beans, tomatoes with berbere and a bunch of other spices. How about those new salt/pepper shakers...aren't they awesome! — AFRICAN STEW: A plant-based spicy stew served over brown rice, made in the pressure cooker in 4 minutes. This stew is chocked full of red cabbage, sweet potatoes, kidney beans, tomatoes with berbere and a bunch of other spices. How about those new salt/pepper shakers…aren’t they awesome!

ENJOY Coach BJ’s African Cabbage Stew!

September 25, 2018January 11, 2022

Chunky Style Tomato Soup by CoachBJ

Another original recipe of mine, CHUNKY STYLE TOMATO SOUP, was featured in VegWorld e-zine, issue Jul/Aug 2018, pages 22-24! This flavorful soup can be made with fresh heirloom tomatoes straight from your garden or best-quality canned tomatoes. It is so easy to make and so tasty, it will become a staple recipe during tomato season and throughout the year. Packed with splendid plant-based ingredients, this soup offers healthy nutritious value.

Submitted contents included a photograph of the soup and recipe directions for the stove top and the pressure cooker. The editors did a terrific job with this issue. It’s chocked full of whole food, plant-based information, stories and gorgeous food photography (including my three-page spread). I have been a subscriber for years, find out more at http://www.vegworldmag.com/

On the PDF below find my Chunky Style Tomato Soup recipe included in the three-page spread. Didn’t VegWorld Magazine do a beautiful job with this beautiful soup!

VegWorld Recipe Summer2018 Heirloom Tomato Soup

March 11, 2018

Make Onion-Potato Stock

ONION – POTATO STOCK: Sometimes you need a lighter colored stock especially for creamy soups. Use this stock in potato soup, New England no-Clam Chowder or others. This stock will add a wonderful base without overpowering other ingredients. Stock can be prepared with yellow potatoes (cubed with skins). If you need an even whiter stock, use red potatoes (peeled and cubed).

Serves: 8 cups || Prep Time: 10 minutes || Cook Time: 4 minutes pressure cooker

3 medium yellow potatoes (cubed with skin) or for whiter stock use red potatoes (peeled and cubed)
1 pound (3 cups) yellow onion, cubed
8 cups (2 quarts) water
1/8 teaspoon salt

PRESSURE COOKER instructions: Prepare the onions and potatoes; cut into cube sizes. Place in pressure cooker with the water. Cook on medium pressure for 4 minutes. Remove the pot from the hot burner. Once the pressure has been released, blend the ingredients in the pot with an immersion blender.

(NOTE: To prepare the stock in a soup pot on the stove, cook until the potatoes are soft then blend the ingredients in the pot with an immersion blender.)

Nutrition Facts
Calories 55 Calories from Fat 0, Total Fat 0g, Saturated Fat 0g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 37 mg, Total Carbohydrate 13g, Fiber 2g, Sugars 3g, Protein 2g

RED POTATO SOUP: Yummy potato soup made with **onion-potato stock** base using peeled red potatoes.

January 24, 2018November 12, 2019

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Soup

Sugar Pumpkin as shown below, a type of winter squash, or your favorite squash can be used as the base for this decadent curry soup. Next add fresh roasted peanut butter or almond butter and various spices…oh my! A small cup full goes a long way to satisfy your peanut butter taste buds found in this tasty smooth soup. As someone told me, “it reminds me of a dessert”.

Serves: 7 || Prep Time: 15 minutes || Cook Time: 15
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin or 2 cups precooked pumpkin or squash
1/3 cup peanut butter or almond butter
3 cups vegetable stock homemade or commercial, no added salt
2 cups water
1 small onion, diced
3 tablespoons coconut flour
2 teaspoons mild curry powder(or to taste)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon coriander
1 clove garlic, sliced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons ginger root, grated or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flake (or more to taste)
1//2 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk

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Mix all ingredients in a soup pot, except non-dairy milk. Heat to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Blend soup in pot until smooth with an immersion blender. Add non-dairy milk until you reach desired consistency, stir. Serve warm or cool.

Nutrition Facts
Calories 128 Calories from Fat 63, Total Fat 7g, Saturated Fat 2g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 123mg, Total Carbohydrate 10g, Fiber 6g, Sugars 3g, Protein 5g

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

January 15, 2018March 15, 2018

Irish Stew

IRISH STEW: This dish is simple yet hearty. It requires the sacrifice of a good stout such as Guinness but it is well worth it in the end. We serve with Irish soda bread and homemade apple butter. Turn on some Irish tunes and you’d think you’re in Dublin.

Serves: 4 || Prep Time: 30 minutes || Cook Time: 60-90 minutes (stove top) or 5 minutes medium pressure (pressure cooker)

1 bottle 11.2 fl oz Guinness Stout
1 cup water
1 cup vegetable stock
2 onions or leeks, coarsely chopped
4 stalks celery, sliced
6 carrots cut into 1″ chunks
6 yellow potatoes, do not peel, cut into large chunks
4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans black beans, low sodium, include brine
1 tablespoon parsley flakes or fresh
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Optional: If needed, use flour to thicken (make a roux by mixing a bit of the stew broth and a few tablespoons of flour – add the roux to the pot of stew and wait about 10 minutes to thicken).

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Stove Top: Prepare all vegetables. Place all ingredients into a soup pot, stir and cover. Simmer on medium heat for 60-90 minutes until vegetables have softened. If the stew needs to be thickened, for desired consistency, add flour by the tablespoon to a small about of stew broth, stir, add roux to the pot.

Pressure Cooker: Prepare all vegetables. Place all ingredients into a 5 quart pressure cooker. Cook on medium pressure for 5 minutes, take cooker off the hot burner and let rest until pressure is released. The stew will likely need to be thickened. Make a roux by adding a few tablespoons of flour to a small amount of stew broth, stir, add this roux to the pressure cooker and wait about 10 minutes for stew thicken.
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Whole wheat soda bread is a nice companion.

Nutrition Facts
Calories 480 Calories from Fat 1, Total Fat 0g, Saturated Fat 0g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 446mg, Total Carbohydrate 90g, Fiber 22g, Sugars 4g, Protein 22g

This is one of Tom’s favorites and we love the leftovers even better than the first plating.

October 28, 2017October 28, 2017

No-chicken Tomato Rice Soup

NO-CHICKEN TOMATO RICE SOUP: Terrific looking, delicious, healthy…nutrient packed soup. Note the pieces of tofu, what do you think they look like – right…chicken! We learned this trick from a chef who made a similar type soup, we asked her to share her secret for making tofu with that unique texture. So we are sharing her tip with you. Freezing tofu for 24 hours changes the texture to look similar to cut up cubes of chicken.

Serve this soup to anybody, they won’t know the difference and they’ll love it just like we do. It’s so good for your heart heath!

Serves: 10 || Prep Time: 30 minutes || Cook Time: 4 minutes medium pressure or 2 hours on stove

6 cups water (reserve 3 cups to add after cooking if your pressure cooker is 5 quarts or less)

5 cups veggie stock (homemade or commercial no salt added)
1 (14-ounce) package extra firm tofu (prepare a day ahead, freeze first, then drain and press)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 roasted onions, roasted in microwave, then diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 (optional) parsnip, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 cup brown rice, rinsed (do not pre-cook)
1/2 cup dried corn
1/4 cup fresh basil, cilantro or parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 (14-ounce) can diced or stewed tomatoes or homegrown tomatoes
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Freeze extra-firm tofu for 24 hours, thaw then press out water with a tofu press or between paper towels. Dice tofu into small cubes about 1/4″. In the meantime roast onions in a microwave; that is, place whole onions with skins into a covered microwaveable container in a microwave and roast for 6 minutes (otherwise, roast onions ahead of time in the oven). Cool onions, peel skins then chop onion into small 1″ pieces. Prepare vegetables.

Pressure cooker: Place all ingredients into the pressure cooker. Cook on medium pressure for 4 minutes. Take off the hot burner, let rest for 10 minutes then release pressure. Add the reserved water or more for desired consistency.

Stovetop: Prepare vegetables. Place all ingredients into a large soup pot, bring to a boil then simmer for 2 hours; occasionally stir.

Serve over your favorite leafy greens.

Nutrition Facts
Calories 173 Calories from Fat 16, Total Fat 2g, Saturated Fat 0g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 179mg, Total Carbohydrate 26g, Fiber 5g, Sugars 3g, Protein 9g

Make Life Easy – Using a tofu press to press out excess liquid from tofu makes your life so easy!

September 19, 2017September 20, 2017

Manhattan no-clam Chowder

Here’s a great comfort food, the blended flavors and textures will satisfy your taste buds! Get back to Mother Nature with this whole food, plant-based soup. You will be surprised to see how Shiitake mushrooms chopped have a wonderful look and texture – who knew? You will be asking for seconds and thirds and check out the wonderful nutritional value!

Serves: 6 –

2 cups water
1 tablespoon garlic minced
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 potatoes, diced with skin
8 ounces Shiitake mushrooms, diced
1 tablespoon parsley
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried savory
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon oregano
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 lemon, juice
1 1/2 sheets nori roasted seaweed, crumble
1 (28 1/2-ounce) can crushed Italian plum tomato
1/2 cup dry sherry

(Pressure Cooker directions below but can easily be adapted to cooking on the stove top.)

Prepare all vegetables. Shiitake mushrooms chopped have the same look and texture as clams.

Place all ingredients, except sherry, in the pressure cooker. Cook on medium pressure for 4 minutes. Take cooker off the hot burned, let it set for 10 minutes then quick release the pressure. After pressure is released, add sherry to chowder, stir. Serve warm.

NUTRITION FACTS
Amount per Serving,Calories 161,Calories From Fat 4,Total Fat 1g,Saturated Fat 0g,Cholesterol 0mg,Sodium 64mg,Total Carbohydrate 27g,Dietary Fiber 7g,Sugars 5g,Protein 7g