Our newest contributor is Joanna, author of Green Reset, here she is in her own words, “My name is Joanna and I’m a mom of a 7-year-old boy who has been searching for a long time for easy ways to improve my family nutrition without having to be stuck in the kitchen for hours, without having to nag anybody to eat the healthy foods that I prepare, and without having to buy all these expensive supplements that promise huge health benefits, but may be in fact detrimental to our health.” Follow Green Reset: Blog, Facebook, and Twitter. Welcome Joanna!
Curried Green Pea Soup Recipe
“I’ve been building websites and blogging about green smoothies for over four years now, and I’ve experienced amazing health benefits thanks to all the nutrients found in leafy greens, fruits and vegetables. I’ve been eating lots of whole plant foods, but I’ve only became vegan about a year ago, so I’m now passionate about veganizing all my recipes, including smoothies, soups, main dishes and desserts. I’m also writing a “Vegan Activist Guide to Starting a Website, Getting Traffic & Making Money to Support Your Passion” available for download at my website. My mission is to help all vegan bloggers get to the top of search engine results, so that people would be finding vegan recipes, instead of all the ones that contain animal ingredients. I appreciate any comments and questions that you can send me, if you read it. Also, if you’d like to learn how to and see how I created the super-tall image for the recipe, read this tutorial on how to make a photo collage.”
Winter is the perfect time of year for hearty soups to warm the body and spirit. Soups are easy to make from scratch, and even inexperienced cooks can learn to make them. Unlike baking – it’s easy to fix a soup by seasoning it or adding some fresh herbs.
Served with bread (homemade or from the store), croutons, or perhaps a salad, this creamy, satisfying soup makes a great lunch or light supper. It is also low in fat (if you skip the cashew cream), and completely vegan (no ham, no dairy).
Green Pea Soup Recipe
Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
1 leek, washed thoroughly and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons curry powder
3 cups water or vegetable broth
1 (16-ounce) package frozen green peas (or use fresh, if they’re in season)
2 medium potatoes, diced
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro or dill
To make cashew cream:
Cashew cream is a great replacement for dairy in soups. It’s easy to make, all you need is some raw cashews and a blender. Since I discovered this recipe in one of the vegan cookbooks, I’ve been using it at least once per week, for many of my soups and smoothies.
2 ounces of raw cashews
1 cup water
Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
Method
Preheat a large, non-stick pot over medium heat, with a few tablespoons of water or vegetable broth. Add onion, leek and sauté until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in curry powder until vegetables are coated in bright yellow, and keep cooking for another 3-5 minutes. Make sure the water does not evaporate (add more , if needed) and keep stirring the veggies, to prevent burning or cover the pot. (This is a no-fat sautéing method. )
Add peas, potatoes and water (or vegetable broth) and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook on low until the all vegetables are soft, about 30-30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper simmer a few minutes more. Remove bay leaf and stir in cilantro or dill. In a blender, blend cashews with water on high until smooth and creamy. Stir into the soup or use as garnish. You may blend the soup or leave it chunky. Ladle into bowls. Decorate with a splash of cashew cream and cilantro.
Enjoy!
