Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew

Ingredients

• 1 large purple onion, diced
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 teaspoon whole coriander, cracked
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup of natural chunky peanut butter
• 1 bunch of greens (kale, spinach, collards, or sweet potato greens), chopped

Preparation

1. Saute the onions, garlic, and ginger over medium-high heat until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add coriander, hot pepper flakes, sweet potatoes, and broth.  Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
3. Stir in the peanut butter and bring back to a simmer. Add the greens and cook until the greens wilt, about 2 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and serve.

Crema de Habas is by far one of the most popular soups in Peru. However, it took me a long time to figure out that the long strange pods and beans contained therein were fava beans. The other day, now back home in Austin, Texas, I was extremely excited to see these same now-familiar beans at a Middle Eastern grocery store in town. However, if it is difficult to find fresh fava beans in your home town you can reconstitute and use dried beans or lima beans.  The color will be far less vivid, but the taste is still nice.

Crema de Habas

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh fava beans, prepared
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 key lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce (gluten-free if required)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh chopped parsley for garnish

 Preparation

1. Combine fava beans, broth, lime juice, and soy sauce in a food processor or blender and combine until smooth.
2. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste.
3. Serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley.

In Peru, cremas are are thick pureed soups with a dairy base. As often as not, that base is quesillo.

Butternut Squash Crema

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash, cooked
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup quesillo, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation

1. Bring the broth to a simmer, then remove from heat.
2. Combine the ingredients in a blender and combine until smooth. Add more water if necessary to reach the desired consistency.
3. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Roasted Vegetable Gazpacho

This chilled summer soup is a perfect way to enjoy seasonal fresh vegetables.

Ingredients

• 4 large ripe tomatoes (about 2 pounds), quartered
• 1 large green bell pepper, quartered and seeded
• 1 green tomato, quartered (optional)
• 1 jalapeno, halved and seeded (optional)
• 2 large cloves garlic, peeled and halved
• Olive oil
• 1 medium purple onion, chopped
• 1 large cucumber, chopped
• 1 teaspoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Additional finely chopped fresh vegetables (onion, cucumber, corn, etc.) and herbs for garnish

Preparation

1. Place the tomatoes, bell pepper, green tomato, jalapeno and garlic in a large baking dish and drizzle lightly with olive oil.  Broil on high until the vegetables have some light charring – about 8-10 minutes.
2. Put the broiled vegetables, onion, cucumber, lime juice, and vinegar in a large blender and process until smooth.  If the consistency is too thick, you can add additional tomato juice or vegetable broth.
3. Season with salt to taste.  Let the gazpacho cool or chill slightly in the refrigerator before serving.  Serve with  finely chopped fresh vegetables and herbs to garnish each bowl.

Gumbo is an excellent old-school example of American fusion cuisine.  Various traditional recipes include okra brought from Africa, American ingredients like tomatoes and bell peppers, the Native American influence of sassafras, and traditional French cooking methods.  While some purists might scoff at a version without meat or seafood, we think even the staunchest Cajun would enjoy a bowl of this tasty and hearty vegan gluten-free gumbo.

Okra Gumbo

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup preferred vegan butter substitute
• 1/2 cup rice flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 large cloves garlic, diced
• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 pound okra, cut into 1/4 inch rounds
• 3 medium red tomatoes, diced
• 1 15-ounce can kidney beans
• 4 cups prepared vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons thyme
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 5 allspice berries
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon gumbo filé powder (ground sassafras – recommended optional since it causes liver cancer)
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Prepare a roux by melting the butter substitute in a medium pan over medium heat. Once melted, reduce temperature to low and whisk in rice flour.  Cook and continue whisking until the roux has a thick texture and smells slightly nutty, about three minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.
2. In a large soup pot saute onions, garlic, bell pepper in olive oil over medium-high heat until the volume reduces and onions are nearly translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes.
3. Add okra, tomatoes, and allspice berries to the saute and stir. Reduce heat to low and allow okra to soften, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes.
4. While the okra is cooking, return the roux to low heat and whisk in 2 cups of stock. It should have a thick, creamy texture without chunks.
5. Add the remaining stock and the roux to the gumbo. Add oregano, thyme, bay leaves, paprika, cayenne, and black pepper. Cook the gumbo for 20 minutes over low heat, stirring frequently.
6.  After the gumbo has simmered, stir in filé powder and remove from heat.
7. Serve over prepared rice with your favorite Louisiana hot sauce.

Every Sunday we try to make something in the slow cooker that we can eat a few days for lunch. Most weeks this is some type of bean dish since beans are cheap, versatile, and delicious. This week, with the beginning of tomatillo season, we decided to start this tomatillo chili over night and in the morning we were greeted with delicious smells and the promise of a few good lunches to look forward to.

Slow Cooker Tomatillo Chili

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed
• 1 cup textured vegetable protein (TVP)
• 1 pound tomatillos, husked, washed, and diced
• 2 medium yellow onions, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium jalapenos, diced (seeded if you prefer less heat)
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 whole dried chipotle peppers
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1/2 cup diced cilantro
• 6 cups water
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Combine all of the above ingredients in a slow cooker. Cover and set the slow cooker to high heat.
2. Cook until beans are soft, 6-8 hours.

Note: This recipe does not require soaked beans. However, if you use soaked beans reduce cooking time to 2 or 3 hours.

This gazpacho capitalizes on the best that early summer produce has to offer.

Green tomato gazpacho (Photo:Gabirel Hasser)

Ingredients

• 4 large green tomatoes
• 2 medium cucumbers
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 clover garlic
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1 sprig of mint
• 1 medium purple pepper for garnish, diced
• 1/2 small sweet onion for garnish, diced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Combine green tomatoes, cucumbers, garlic, cilantro, and mint in a blender adding enough water to create a smooth consistency.
2. Season soup with salt and pepper to taste
3. Serve garnished with diced purple peppers and onion.

Beet and Rutabaga Borscht

Borscht is a traditional Ukrainian soup with a gorgeous purple-red hue.  It’s a delicious way to use beets and can be served hot or chilled.

Ingredients

• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound (about 3 medium) red beets, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 medium rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 6 cups vegetable stock (see our recipe)
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Parsley or dill for garnish
• Sour cream for garnish (optional for vegan preparation)

Preparation

1. In a large soup pot, saute onion and carrots in olive oil over medium-high heat until onions become translucent.
2. Add beets and rutabaga, continuing to saute for about 2 minutes more.
3. Add stock, cover, and bring to boil over high heat.  Reduce heat and continue boiling until beets and rutabaga pieces are soft. Season to taste.
4. Using an immersion blender or upright blender, process soup until smooth.
5. Serve warm immediately or chill and serve cool.  Garnish each bowl of soup with fresh parsley or dill and a dollop of sour cream (optional).

This vegan take on a Peruvian crema (creamed vegetable soup) uses fresh carrots, scrumptious herbs, and a potato for added texture.

Crema de Zanahora Ingredients

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds carrots, sliced
• 1 small potato, peeled and sliced
• 1 cube vegetable bouillon
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, diced
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Bring the carrots and potatoes to a boil in a medium pot. Continue to cook until the vegetables are fork tender.
2. Once the vegetables are soft transfer them and 2 cups of the cooking liquid to a blender along with the bouillon cube. Combine until smooth then set aside.
3. Saute the onion and garlic in a large pot until the onions are translucent.
4. Once the onions have sauteed, transfer them to the blender and liquify.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot garnished with parsley.

Crema de Zanahora