I hate wasting food, it is one of my pet peeves. I only buy enough for the week but sometimes life has you on a roller coaster and you don't get to eat all those fresh veggies laying around in your fridge so what can you do - make soup of course!

My honey is a chef and he is notorious for buying a ton of fresh veggies so that he has whatever he desires on hand and when I say a ton, I mean a TON. So when I looked in the fridge today I was shocked, so many veggies on their way out! A little brown spot here, mold starting to grow at the stem there, some yellowing kale. When did all these veggies get here and how could I possibly use them all up!

Soup is one of those things that really hit the spot and warm you from the inside out. Its also a great start to a detox or an excellent addition to increase your vegetable consumption especially in the long winter months.

This soup can be adapted to whatever you have on hand but I think there are a few key elements to a great soup. Here are my suggestions;

Always use a wide variety of colors and textures
Saute the veggies first in order to bring out their flavor.
Season those veggies before pouring in your broth.
Don't go light on the seasoning but watch your salt usage.
Don't be afraid to try other things besides vegetable broth - add a little wine, use miso paste, through in a little cider vinegar or splash a bit of soy sauce in there to provide depth.
Simmer longer instead of boiling for a shorter amount of time.
Add any quick cooking items right at the end.

I hope that you enjoy this as much as I am!

A Little Bit of Everything Vegetable Soup

1/2 Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded and cubed

1 Onion, Sliced

8 Garlic Cloves, chopped

3 Celery Stalks, chopped

3 Turnips, peeled and cubed

1 cup baby carrots, halved

4 Tomatoes, chopped

1 Jalapeno Pepper, seeded and minced

3 tbs Olive Oil

1 tbs Italian Seasoning

1 tsp Oregano

1 tsp Parsley

1 tsp Ginger

1 tsp Smoked Paprika

1 tsp Dried Seaweed

1 tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

3 tbs Soy Sauce

4 cups Vegetable Broth

4 cups Water

1 cup Spinach

1 cup Kale

Add olive oil to a large stock pot over medium high heat. Chop and dice all vegetables. Add to the pot and saute for 5 minutes until softened. Add the spices and saute another minute until fragrant. Add the soy sauce and the vegetable broth slowly. Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce, cover and simmer until vegetables are cooked through about 30 to 40 minutes. Add the spinach and kale. Salt to taste. Enjoy and Healthy Eating!

Last week temperatures rose to 58 degrees and then plummeted down to 17. It seems we can't win in this yo-yo of a winter season and thus my appetite suffers. I waver between wanting cooling salads and soul warming soups as often as I change my jacket.

In all honesty this last bought of cold really threw me for a loop, I just want winter to be over and spring to take hold, I am done with snow and with cold but it doesn't seem to want to give up its grasp just yet. So instead of one of my go to soups, which you can find a number of on the blog, I decided I wanted something really hearty, filling and a bit spicy thus this vegan vegetable stew was born.

Stew traditionally centers around big chunks of meat whether lamp, beef, or pork with a few potatoes, carrots, and peas thrown in for good measure. Stew however can be rich and hearty when it is loaded with veggies, spices, and stewed tomatoes.

This recipe is a simple one; sauteed onions, garlic, mushrooms, carrots, sweet potatoes, turnips and cabbage with Italian spices, tomato paste, stewed tomatoes and cider vinegar, simmered for 45 minutes until thick and spicy. I served it over toasted garlic quinoa but feel free to eat it alone, over rice or with pasta. I hope that you enjoy!

Spicy Vegan Sweet Potato, Turnip and Cabbage Stew

1 Large Onion, sliced

5 Cloves Garlic, chopped

1 pint Baby Bellas, sliced

1 stalk of Celery, chopped

4 Sweet Potatoes, cubed

3 Turnips, cubed

1/2 package of Baby Carrots

3 tbs Olive Oil

1 tbs Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

1 tbs Basil

1 tbs Oregano

1 tbs Herbs de Provence

1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper

2 tbs Tomato Paste

2 15.5oz Cans of Stewed Tomatoes

1/2 head of Cabbage, chopped

Water

In a large pot or dutch oven heat the 3 tbs of olive oil over medium high heat adding the onions, mushrooms, and garlic, sauteing until the mushrooms have released their liquid. Add the carrots, celery, sweet potatoes, and turnips cooking for 5 minutes or until the garlic begins to brown. Add the salt, herbs and crushed red pepper, cooking for another 5 minutes until fragrant, stir in the apple cider vinegar and tomato paste, combining well before adding the stewed tomatoes. Using the 2 cans from the stewed tomatoes, fill with water and add to the pot bringing to a boil. Add the cabbage, reduce the heat and cover, simmering for 40 minutes or until tender. Add salt to taste and enjoy and healthy eating!