Tag: soup

  • Steamed broccoli & noodles + soto

    Steamed broccoli & noodles + soto

    Does this dish look dull to you? Let me tell you why i still find it exciting. One: it’s sat in a bowl that was given to me by two very dear friends that same night. Two: it’s a perfect starting point for one of the best dishes ever: soto.

    Soto
    Soto is a simple Indonesian stock which you combine in a plate with all kinds of condiments: leafy vegetables, curried vegetables, sambal (chili paste), egg, sprouts, fried onions and peanuts… It’s salad buffet meets soup bowl: super colorful and fragrant and tasty!

    Fulfilling, beautiful & easy
    So we had a great and fulfilling dinner. We sat on the floor (practicing for Thailand?) and put a spoonful of everything on our plates: noodles, broccoli, fried tofu, spicy cumin carrot julienne, potato, plus the above mentioned: egg, fried onions, etc… and then poured the stock over it.

    The result is warm, spicy, crunchy and either very light or nice and filling; everyone can just take what their tummy feels like. Ideal for a family dinner or party.

    I loved it so much, that i wondered why i don’t make this more often. It’s even also a great way to do something beautiful with leftovers (an ongoing quest in my household).

    Recipe for steamed broccoli with noodles, as a basis for soto

    For real soto, of course you make your own fresh stock. In a very quick version of soto that i love to make, i use one of those little packs of vegetable noodle soup. I know! Shameless.

    Add the seasoning to (almost) twice the amount of water that it says on the label and bring it to a boil. Steam broccoli florets in the same pan, using a steam basket or a colander or sieve. The soup shall be light (although tasty) and the broccoli cooked but still firm and bright green. Remember to catch the soup while you drain the noodles.

    Sprinkle the broccoli florets with sesame seeds, some (garlic) oil and any other seasoning that you love and serve with the noodles.

    Very nice with an egg, fried onions and a teaspoon (or more..) of sambal.

  • Carrot coconut cashew soup

    Carrot coconut cashew soup

    Enjoy this one raw or cooked. The cashews and coconut cream (santen) make for a delicious creaminess. I’d advise to prepare the soup a few hours or up to a day before serving. The ingredients need some time to get settled before they start being all aromatic.

    A high speed blender would come in very handy now that i’m enjoying raw soups more and more, but alas… the universe has yet to supply me with one ;). A normal blender works fine, too, but then the raw soup will be a bit grainy. Although of course passing it through a sieve always helps, i didn’t make that effort this time.

    Recipe for Carrot Coconut Cashew Soup
    Blend a handful of cashews with a cup of water until you have a nice velvety cream.Then add in the blender:

    • one big carrot, in blender-friendly chunks
    • a slice of pumpkin (5 cm in width)
    • a tiny garlic clove
    • a piece of ginger
    • grated rind of one lemon or a stalk of lemongrass
    • 3 tablespoons of santen (coconut cream)
    • a piece of apple, or two dates, or honey to taste, for sweetness
    • a teaspoon or tablespoon of curry paste
    • salt & pepper
    • for hot soup: a few dried kaffer lime leafs
    • Water as needed for a smooth blend

    Kaffer lime leafs is one of those things that make your dishes taste like ‘the real thing’. It’s one of those ‘secret’ ingredients and does the trick every time. You get them at Asian food stores. Buy dried leafs; the frozen ones have lost all their taste in my experience.

    This is nice with a spoonful of turmeric cream (check it out!), if you have it. Also, try adding some acai or raw cacao powder, it gives a nice little extra layer that lifts up all ingredients.

    I just realized this…
    By the way! Using the same ingredients, you can make a very nice curry. Cut up the carrot and pumpkin and combine the other ingredients except the cashews into a sauce. Fry the veggies in coconut oil, add the sauce and simmer everything for some time with the cashews.

    Next day you can blend the leftovers into this soup.

    Wow, now i feel like doing it all over again ;).

  • Raw fruity tomato soup

    Raw fruity tomato soup

    If you think this soup looks pale, you’re right. It did! However i’m sure it will give you a healthy blush, for it’s packed with vitamins and fibers.

    One could say this is a gazpacho… yes, let’s call it that. But with a surprising fruity twist!

    Now i’ll be quick and get this recipe out. After all, it only takes one minute to make. The blogpost should hardly take longer.

    Recipe for Fruity raw tomato soup

    In a blender, combine:

    • 3 tomatoes
    • 1 baby cucumber (or 2-3 inches of a normal one), leave rind on
    • 2 prunes
    • one quarter of a small apple
    • one half of a little garlic glove
    • one small handful of sunflower seeds

    Blend until smooth and serve. My vegetables came from the fridge and so the soup was at perfect temperature. Should be fresh but not very cold.

    This a nice and quick starter for a summer evening dinner. Some green herbs would have been nice. Mint or basil and parsley, probably.  That’s for next time. I love these little experiments.

  • 3 easy ways to get your daily dose of veggies

    3 easy ways to get your daily dose of veggies

    Eating 2 pieces of fruit and 200 grams of veggies every day is easy!

    1. Morning Smoothie

    Blend 1 apple, 0.5 banana, 0.5 stem of celery, 5 mm slice of ginger, handful of green leafy vegetables and a piece of fennel or broccoli with orange juice. Mix until smooth… and there you go! It’s only morning and already you’ve had most of your daily vitamins!

    [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_dropcap]Tip[/fusion_dropcap]For a full-breakfast smoothie, add some muesli. Many health food stores sell gluten-free muesli as well.

    2. Lunch Salad

    I like to take a big handful of green leafs (spinach, rocket salad, watercress for example) and drizzle with olive oil. Add pepper and salt and it’s already a treat. Add nuts or sprouts, cottage cheese and avocado and this is a delicious full meal.

    3. Supper Soup

    Cut veggies, cook onions and garlic in a pan softly until just starting to brown and then add the vegetables. Add a bay leaf, maybe also tomato pulp or chunks and water. Simmer until the veggies are just soft and use the (hand) blender to make the soup smooth.

    [/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_dropcap]Tips[/fusion_dropcap]For chunky soup, take some chunks out before you blend the rest of the soup.
    Do you like Asian food? Cook curry paste with the onions and garlic and add coconut milk.
    For a deluxe, extra velvety soup, blend it all and pass the soup through a siff, pressing it through with the round side of a spoon.

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  • Gazpacho: Spanish cold tomato soup

    Gazpacho: Spanish cold tomato soup

    You know that camping feeling? Living with little, in a tent or caravan, wearing flip flops to the toilet, wet grass tickling your toes… That’s me right now! Not because i’m on holiday, but just because i CAN.

    Well, and because my relationship broke up.

    I went to live somewhere i can be with my feet on the ground: in a friend’s caravan (thank you!) on the premise of another friend thank you too!).

    Now that i am processing and waving bye to nine years of love and also some mutual pain, too much pain in the end, many things are shifting. Sadness, incomprehension and especially: all the more love. Everything is open. And what happens? A world of new opportunities, new possibilities and new encounters is appearing. Wow. And yes: outch :(.

    As i’m embrazing the raw truth, much of my food here is also raw. It’s full of life and has all sweet and bitter tastes life has to offer. Every morning i wake up in my caravan, make a nice pot of tea and then blend a smoothie of vegetables, fruits and other healthy ingredients (check this one, for example: Morning glory power smoothie). Quick and easy, beautiful start.

    Raw is also the soup i’m sharing today: gazpacho with carrot. Throw all ingredients in the blender together en put itin the fridge for a while. So make sure to use clean ingredients; the carrot used in the soup was cleaner than the one in the picture. (My friend who saw the pic wanted you alt to know that. So now you do ;).)

    Gazpacho

    (cold tomato soup)

    serves four plates

    Blend

    4 large tomatoes
    one half bell pepper
    one half onion
    one carrot
    handful of basil
    small handful of celery leaf
    one garlic clove
    two tablespoons tomato paste
    some water

    Add pepper, salt and herbs to taste. You may also want to add some sweetener.

    Cool in the fridge while preparing the rest of the meal.

    Enjoy!