You may say whatever you like but summer is not over, just yet. I will concede it might be cooling down and the sun is starting to set a bit earlier but that’s as far as I’ll go. With farm stands bursting at the seams with hearty vegetables I suppose it’s time we have that heart-to-heart about soups.
Soups are the most cost-effective, timesaving, party-centric and flavorful ways to eat well. A little bit of a whole food ingredients goes a long way in servings and saving money. One pound of butternut squash and eight ounces of dried beans stretches the Moroccan Stew into several satisfying servings. Double batch your soup and freeze the extra servings for lunch or dinner in a pinch. Host a game day and serve this stew with a simple mixed greens salad, cheese and Roti Flatbread recipe and you’ve got it made.
I was torn about which two soup recipes to share with you. I could go on and on for days with soup recipes. I put the options up for my Facebook followers to help me with. We narrowed it down to the Moroccan Stew and Lemongrass and Coconut Curry. I’d suggest serving with a simple flatbread. Here is a ridiculously simple, chewy Roti Flatbread recipe not dependent on fussy yeast. (Yes, Yeast! I called you fussy and now I have a fall-back flatbread recipe perfect for when you decide to act out!)
If you are interested in a 3 Savory Seasonal Soups cooking class, I’ll be teaching a class at Zest!, in Lititz on November 4th. Never miss a class, recipe or local food event by signing up for my monthly newsletter. The sign-up link is on my home page.
Keep wearing your white pants and peep-toe pumps or sandals with pride or until your toes get too chilly! Happy soup cooking!
- Spice blend
- 2 teaspoons turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons ginger powder
- 1½ teaspoons sweet paprika powder
- 1½ teaspoons ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- Soup
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 ribs (about 8 ounces) celery, chopped
- 2 medium sweet onions (about 8-10 ounces), chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (gluten-free optional)
- 12-16 ounces butternut or winter squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup (8 ounces) split yellow lentils or split peas
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Blend the spice ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
- In a 3-quart saucepan, pour in oil and then gently simmer the spice blend with olive oil for 1 minute, stirring.
- Stir the celery, onion, and garlic into the spice blend. Sauté on medium for 8 minutes, until the vegetables soften. Add more olive oil, if needed, to prevent sticking.
- Add the broth, squash, tomatoes, and lentils to the pan. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 30-40 minutes, or until the beans have softened.
- Stir in the lime juice. Garnish with cilantro.
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