I don’t know about you, but I love the fall season! Maybe because I am a September baby or simply because I enjoy the change of seasons and the beautiful fall foliage. Either way, once the air turns a little cooler and the produce changes at the markets – I’m immediately inspired to get in the kitchen and make warm, comforting fall dishes like roasted vegetables and soups galore!
That’s exactly what I did this past Sunday and I’m thrilled to share with you one of my favorite soup recipes. However, I also want to share with you the recipe for my secret ingredient – vegetable stock. When I first started cooking I found stocks so intimidating and didn’t know where to begin. Now, I’m never without a stock in the fridge. You’ll be shocked at the difference a homemade stock makes. It is light years better than water and much tastier than store bought versions. You can use stock as a base for soups, but also when you make quinoa or rice (or any grain) instead of using water and the flavor will be much richer. Plus, you know exactly what goes in your stock and you can use your vegetable scraps so nothing goes to waste. As you can see, I am a huge fan of homemade stock and I promise once you try it you won’t turn back!
Once you perfect the stock, you’ll be the master of soups including my favorite — Lentil, Kale Soup. It is easy to make, nourishing, packed with nutrients and it keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days (the flavor actually gets better!). Please enjoy these recipes from my kitchen to yours. Let me know how the stock works for you and if you become a convert like me.
I’d love to work with you to create more healthy, fall recipes that work for your lifestyle. Click here to book a free, 50-minute session to start on your journey to wellness.
Wishing you a fall filled with warm, nourishing foods.
Yours in wellness,
Mandy
Lentil, Kale Soup
Ingredients:
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 small, yellow onion chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped into coins
½ cup celery, chopped
1 sprig rosemary, removed from stem and finely chopped
8 cups vegetable stock (see recipe below)
1 cup lentils, rinse and discard any foreign matter
1 cup fresh tomatoes, chopped (or canned, diced tomatoes)
1 cup firmly packed kale, stems removed, chopped
Salt & pepper to taste
1 parmesan rind (optional)
Garnish:
Fresh basil
Fresh parmesan
Salt & pepper
EVOO
Preparation:
- In a large pot, add EVOO over medium/low heat
- When pot is hot, add onion and garlic and sauté until fragrant and translucent
- Add carrots, celery and rosemary, sauté for 5 minutes
- Add vegetable broth and lentils, increase heat and bring to boil
- Once boiling, reduce heat, salt and pepper to taste, add parmesan rind and simmer 20 – 30 minutes until lentils are tender
- Add tomatoes and kale. Salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 5 minutes
Serving:
- Serve immediately or let cool and store in fridge, in its own pan or a glass container for up to 5 days.
- If serving immediately, place in bowl, add salt and pepper to taste, a drizzle of olive oil, grate fresh parmesan liberally and garnish with fresh, torn basil.
- Enjoy!
Preparation notes: Adding the parmesan rind adds depth and richness. You can omit the parmesan rind if you are vegan or do not have it on hand and it is still amazingly delicious!
Vegetable Stock
Ingredients:
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 onion, coarsely chopped, remove skin to chop but reserve skin and include in stock
2 cloves garlic, whole, removed from skin but reserve skin and include in stock
2 carrots, including tops and tips, coarsely chopped
2 celery, including leaves, coarsely chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 sprig fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon peppercorns
2 teaspoons salt (or more to taste)
10 cups water (recipe reduces, this will leave you with ~8 cups of stock)
Preparation:
- In a large pot, add EVOO over medium/low heat
- When pot is hot, add onion + skin, garlic + skin and sauté until fragrant
- Add carrots, celery, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves and sauté for 5 minutes
- Add water, peppercorns and salt and bring to boil
- Once boiling, turn to low and simmer, uncovered, at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours (the longer you simmer the richer the flavor and the darker the color)
- Cool and drain to separate vegetables from stock, discard vegetables
Storage: Store in glass container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month
Preparation notes: Once you have your basic stock recipe down, feel free to experiment. I essentially use any vegetable scraps I have on hand, mushroom stems, broccoli stems, mushy tomatoes and/or any herbs you want. You do not need to use the onion/garlic skin, but I think it adds to the depth of flavor. Have fun and make your stock your own!
