Guest Post - Ellen's Asparagus Soup

Hello everyone, I'm Ellen from Ellenbcookery .   I'm so pleased to be guest posting again here at Laurie's cravings and happy you're back today.  Laurie and I would like to show you what was done with the leftover asparagus stems we didn't use in yesterday's stuffed pepper recipe .  Since the previous recipe only calls for the asparagus tips, I also made an asparagus soup with the remaining sticks.  It's really tasty and uses simple ingredients.  We hope you enjoy!


- EllenB 

Ingredients:

• 1 large organic onion, diced
• approx. 3-4 cups of water (add more if you'd like)
• 1 organic vegetable bouillon
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 organic potatoes, quartered
• leftover asparagus spears
• splash of cream (optional)

Instructions:  


Saute the organic onion in a large pot until well cooked. 


Add water to pot,  an organic vegetable bouillon, salt & pepper.  


Once bouillon dissolves, add 4 quartered organic potatoes and cut up asparagus sticks.  


Once potatoes are cooked, puree with hand blender.  


Tasty on it's own, or you could add a splash of cream.

Vegetarian Southwestern Black Bean Chili

I made a huge batch of black beans and was wondering how I was going to use them. I used my slow cooker to cook the beans during the day, while I ran my errands. Taking dried beans, soaking them and then allowing them to cook in water for 6-8 hours on low is a great money saver! Canned beans can have a canny taste and cost a lot more. For 1 can of organic black beans (about 2 cups) it is about $1.30 ish and 1lb of dried organic black beans is about $1.50 ish (which produces about 5-6 cups of cooked black beans). It only makes sense to get the dried ones. Since I had this large batch of beans on hand, I decided that I'm going to put some to use for my dinner. A simple vegetarian chili sounds like a good idea to me. I can use up the fresh corn, kale and tomatoes that I have on hand. Also it makes for great next day lunch. I'm not sure if this is an authentic chili, but it has the flavors of a chili and has a nice thick consistency. I served it over fresh white rice and a bit of hot sauce. 


If you want to omit the cayenne, that's fine. This chili isn't very spicy but it does have some warmth. As for the beans, you can use canned black beans if you'd like. Just make sure to rinse them well and drain any excess water. Also if you prefer a thinner chili, just add a bit more stock. Start with a 1/2 cup and work your way up if need be. 

Vegetarian Southwestern Black Bean Chili

Cook Time: 30 minutes
Prep Time: < 10 minutes
Serves: 4 (1 cup) servings


Ingredients:

• 1 tsp oil
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 roma tomatoes, diced 
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 2 cups cooked organic black beans (or used canned black beans, drained)
• 1 cup organic vegetable stock
• 4 kale leaves, chopped and stems removed
• 1 ear of organic sweet corn, kernels removed
• 1/2 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar

In a large stock pot, heat the oil over medium heat.


Add the onion and garlic and saute for about 5 minutes, or until softened. 


Add the tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne, bay leaves, black beans and salt & pepper (to taste). Stir well. 


Allow the mixture to come to a boil and then cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for about 20 minutes.

While that is simmering, chop up the kale leaves into bite-sized pieces. Then shuck the corn and remove the kernels using a knife. Set aside.


Once the black beans have simmered for 20 minutes, add the kale, corn, cilantro and vinegar and stir in well. Cover again and allow it to simmer for 5 more minutes. 


Remove the bay leaves. Serve piping hot over rice (if you'd like).

Nutritional Info per Serving:
Calories: 205 ; Fat: 3g ; Carbohydrate: 40g ; Fiber: 9.5g ; Sugar: 9g ; Protein: 11g 

Italian Rainbow Chard & Bean Soup

Sometimes after a long day, a warm bowl of soup is what helps me unwind from the hustle and bustle. Even though it is summer time, I still enjoy warm meals every so often. This soup has a nice Italian flair, kind of like a minestrone, minus the pasta. Letting the Parm rind simmer in the soup, gives it amazing flavor and a nice saltiness (so try to not over salt). Rainbow Chard is a denser green(compared to spinach) that holds up well to the cooking process and maintains a nice bite, even when reheated. Also it is absolutely beautiful! Eat the rainbow... that's where you'll be sure to get a variety of nutrients that your body needs. By adding the chard leaves towards the end, you retain most of the nutrients. This soup has plenty of protein, veggies, and fiber. Definitely filling! 


I only used 2 of the 4 stems in this recipe because the stems have a bit of a woody taste and too much can give it an off taste. You could omit the stems completely if you'd like - but I  like to try to use everything (no waste). By substituting the chicken stock for veggie stock and omitting the Parm rind, this is an excellent Vegan main dish. This soup freezes well and makes for a great next day lunch. So no waste here :)

Italian Rainbow Chard & Bean Soup

Cook Time: 30 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4-6 


Ingredients:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes
• 4 organic rainbow chard, stems (2, diced) and leaves (chopped into bite-sized pieces) separated 
• 1 1/2 tbsp italian seasoning
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1-14.5oz can of organic diced tomatoes, drained
• 2 tbsp organic tomato paste
• 2-15oz cans of organic pinto beans or cannelloni, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups of chicken or veggie stock
• 1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• rind of Parmigiano Reggiano (any size)
• juice of 1 lemon

• fresh Parmigiano Reggiano, grated (optional)

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, red pepper flakes and 2 of the rainbow chard stems only (add more if you'd like, but I find it makes the soup a bit too woody). Saute for about 5 minutes or until softened. Stirring often. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add the rest of the ingredient except the rainbow chard leaves and the lemon. Raise the heat, bringing the mixture to a boil. Cover and lower the heat to a simmer. Stir occasionally. Allow the soup to simmer for about 15-20 minutes.


Then add the rainbow chard leaves, stir well into the soup. Cover and let simmer for 5 minutes. 

Add the juice of the lemon, stir well. Taste the soup and adjust seasonings as necessary (more salt or pepper).


Serve piping hot with crusty bread for sopping up the soup. Top with Parmigiano Reggiano. 

Nutritional Info per Serving (assuming this makes 4):
Calories: 255 ; Fat: 2g ; Carbohydrate: 46g ; Fiber: 15g ; Sugar: 7g ; Protein: 13g