Creamy Carrot and Potato Soup

Source: https://www.greenku.com/creamy-carrot-and-potato-soup/

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup coconut milk (optional, for creaminess)(I didn't use this)
Fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
Add carrots and potatoes, stirring occasionally, and cook for 5 minutes.
Pour in vegetable broth, then add cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the carrots and potatoes are tender.
Remove the pot from heat and use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth. Alternatively, blend in batches using a regular blender.
Stir in coconut milk, if using, and adjust seasoning to taste.
Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley.

Vegetarian Peppers and Rice Casserole

Note to self: This tastes good! (I realized that for some reason, looking at pictures of or even smelling rice and tomatoes/tomato sauce together turns my stomach, but this really does taste good--and it smells great once it's cooked!)

source: https://herrecipebox.com/vegetarian-stuffed-pepper-casserole-recipe/

Ingredients
For the Casserole Base:
Bell Peppers: 2 large, multi-colored , cored and chopped into 1-inch pieces
Olive Oil: 2 tablespoons, extra virgin
Yellow Onion: 1 large, chopped
Garlic: 4 cloves, minced
Long-Grain White Rice: 1 cup, uncooked
Black Beans: 1 (15-ounce) can, rinsed and drained (I used pinto because I was out of black)
Diced Tomatoes: 1 (15-ounce) can, undrained
Tomato Sauce: 1 (8-ounce) can
Vegetable Broth: 1 ½ cups, low-sodium (I used beef broth and water, because I had beef broth to use up)
Chili Powder: 1 tablespoon
Cumin: 2 teaspoons, ground
Smoked Paprika: 1 teaspoon
Dried Oregano: 1 teaspoon
Salt: 1 teaspoon, or to taste
Black Pepper: ½ teaspoon, freshly ground

For the Cheesy Topping:
Shredded Cheese: 2 cups, a blend of Monterey Jack and sharp cheddar works well

For Garnish (Optional):
Fresh Cilantro: ¼ cup, chopped
Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt

For serving:
Avocado: Sliced or diced

Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish or a large, deep cast-iron skillet with olive oil or cooking spray.

 
2. In a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped yellow onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until it becomes soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant, being careful not to let it burn. Add the chopped bell peppers to the skillet. Continue to cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the peppers to soften slightly but still retain a bit of their crispness, as they will continue to cook in the oven.

 
3. To the skillet with the peppers and onions, add the uncooked rice, rinsed black beans, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Stir everything together for about one minute. This step is crucial as it “toasts” the rice and spices, waking up their flavors and allowing them to coat every ingredient evenly.

 
4. Pour in the undrained diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and vegetable broth. Stir thoroughly to combine, ensuring the rice is fully submerged in the liquid. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

 
5. Once the mixture is simmering, carefully transfer the entire contents of the skillet into your prepared 9×13 inch baking dish. If you used a large, oven-safe skillet (like a cast-iron skillet), you can skip this step and bake it directly in the same pan. Spread the mixture into an even layer.

 
6. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. This traps the steam, which is essential for cooking the rice properly. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. At this point, the rice should be tender and should have absorbed most of the liquid.

 
7. Carefully remove the foil from the baking dish. Sprinkle the 2 cups of shredded cheese evenly over the top of the casserole. (I actually mixed some in, to get the cheese all through the casserole, not just on top.) Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted, bubbly, and just beginning to turn golden brown on the edges.

 
8. Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest on a cooling rack for at least 10 minutes. This is a critical step! It allows the casserole to set, making it easier to serve and allowing the flavors to meld together beautifully. After resting, garnish generously with fresh cilantro and serve hot with your favorite toppings.

Creamy Vegetable Soup

adapted from: https://legallyhealthyblonde.com/vegan-pot-pie-soup/ 

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45-60 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients:
8 tablespoon butter
2 cups carrots, peeled and diced
2 cups Celery chopped
2/3 Large yellow onion diced
1.5 tsp Garlic powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
10 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
4 Yukon gold potatoes peeled and diced or 2 russet potatoes
2 cups Frozen petite peas
2 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste

Directions:
Peel and finely dice carrots.
Dice celery and onions.
Melt butter in large non-stick pan. Add onion, carrots, and celery.
Peel and dice potatoes.
Once the onion is translucent, add garlic.
Add the flour and immediately stir to combine. Cook and continue to stir until the flour becomes lightly golden.
Add the milk and mix into the flour and vegetables until it becomes a thick, creamy sauce.
Add the broth and combine thoroughly. (Reduce amount of broth by 1-2 cups if you want a thicker soup).
Add chopped potatoes, and bring the pot to a simmer.
Simmer for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the potatoes are cooked through and the soup has reduced to your desired thickness.
Stir in the frozen peas while the soup is still hot.
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve hot and enjoy!

Veggie-Loaded Lasagna Soup (vegetarian)

Source: https://thenaturalnurturer.com/veggie-loaded-lasagna-soup-vegetarian/#recipe

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Total Time: 32 minutes

Ingredients
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup diced onion (about 1/2 a large onion)
1 cup diced carrots (about 2 large carrots)
1 cup diced zucchini (about 1 small zucchini) (I used bell peppers because I didn't have zucchini)
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar with a bit of sugar)
2 cups pasta sauce
2 cups vegetable broth (I used chicken broth; 2 cups made for a very thick soup; you could easily double it)
3-4 cups loosely packed baby spinach roughly chopped 
6 ounces lasagna noodles (6-8 sheets), broken into about 2-inch pieces (I used oven-ready)
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese optional
shredded mozzarella cheese and/or ricotta cheese, for serving optional
fresh basil, chopped for garnish, optional

Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. 

Add onion and carrot and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add zucchini and cook until it begins to soften, about 2 more minutes. 

Stir in ½ teaspoon of salt.
Add balsamic vinegar and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. 

Stir in marinara and broth and bring soup to a simmer.
Once simmering, add broken lasagna noodles to the pot and cook until noodles are tender, about 10 to 12 minutes or according to the cooking time on the box of your lasagna noodles.
After the soup is done cooking, stir in the last 1/4 teaspoon of salt, spinach and grated parmesan (if using) and let the spinach wilt in the hot soup for a minute or two. 

Taste soup for seasoning and add more salt and pepper as needed.
Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with a little shredded mozzarella and/or top with a dollop of ricotta cheese, if desired. Sprinkle with fresh basil and enjoy.