How to Make Homemade Soup | Interview and Cooking with Cathy Fisher
2545 DELICIOUS DINNER RECIPES to support your weight loss:
https://www.chefaj.com/5-delicious-low-fat-dinner-recipes
Cathy Fisher is the creator of StraightUpFood.com, a website offering free recipes and information on eating a whole-food, plant-based diet free of salt, oil, sugar and gluten. She is also a cooking instructor at TrueNorth Health Center and the McDougall Program, both in Santa Rosa, California. Cathy began eating a plant-based diet in 1999, and in 2016 published her first cookbook, Straight Up Food: Delicious and Easy Plant-based Cooking without Salt, Oil or Sugar..
You can find her at www.StraightUpFood.com
Yellow Split Pea & Butternut Soup
Butternut squash soups are traditionally very smooth, but this recipe adds some texture, with yellow split peas, onion and celery; and since squash and peas really soak up flavor, plenty of dried herbs and spices are added.
7 cups water
3 cups dried/uncooked yellow split, rinsed
6 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
1 medium chopped yellow or white onion (about 2 cups)
1 cup water
2 ribs celery, chopped (about ½ cup)
1½ tablespoons dried Italian herb seasoning
1½ teaspoons paprika
1¼ teaspoons granulated garlic
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional; these are spicy)
Bring the 7 cups of water and peas to a boil in a soup pot over high heat, uncovered. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally (so the peas don't stick to the bottom of the pan).
Stir in the squash, onion, 1 cup water, celery, Italian seasoning, paprika, granulated garlic, coriander, and red pepper flakes, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook covered, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the peas are mushy and the squash is tender. Add a little water as needed to thin to your desired consistency.
Eat as is, or cream a portion of the soup using an immersion blender (or use a regular blender or a bean or potato masher).
Preparation: 20 minutes; Cooking: 60 minutes; Serves: 6 to 8 (makes about 12 cups)
Notes:
If you’d like a garnish, try chopped fresh basil or a little balsamic vinegar.
Optional: Add some chopped fresh greens (kale, chard, spinach) 5 to 10 minutes before the end of cooking.
Herb-Roasted Potatoes
If you like a lot of flavor, you will appreciate these hearty roasted potatoes. I peel my potatoes since the herbs and spices stick a little better, but you can also leave them unpeeled. Serve with ketchup, mustard, and/or barbecue sauce.
2 pounds white potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks (about 6 cups)
2 teaspoons dried Italian herb seasoning
1½ teaspoons plain or smoked paprika
1 teaspoon granulated onion
½ teaspoon granulated garlic
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Dash cayenne pepper (optional)
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the potatoes into a pot and cover them with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, uncovered, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife. Drain, rinse, and set aside. (You can also use a microwave oven or steamer basket to precook the potatoes.)
Measure all of the herbs and spices (Italian herb seasoning, paprika, granulated onion and garlic, black pepper, and cayenne pepper, if using) into a small bowl, and mix with a fork.
Place the cooked potatoes into a medium bowl, and sprinkle the herbs and spices over them. Toss until the potatoes are evenly coated.
Spread the potatoes onto the baking sheet, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. Serve immediately.
Preparation: 10 minutes; Cooking: 10 minutes (stovetop), 30 minutes (oven); Serves: 2 to 4
Note:
This recipe is very flexible regarding the herbs and spices you can use, so have fun tailoring it to your tastes.
Ketchup
Ketchup is a straightforward condiment, mainly calling for tomatoes, vinegar, salt, and sugar. For this recipe, the sugar will come from an apple and the salty flavor from the concentrated tomato paste.
¾ cup water
½ medium apple, peeled, cored, and chopped (about ½ cup)
1 can tomato paste (6 ounces)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
Place all of the ingredients (water, apple, tomato paste, vinegar, oregano, and granulated garlic) into a blender, and blend until smooth. Refrigerate for two to three hours for the best flavor. Keeps for one to two weeks refrigerated.
Preparation: about 8 minutes; Cooking: 0 minutes; Makes: about 1 cup