Roasted Tomato & Black Bean Soup

When I say easy, what I mean is: your hubby, your kids, your nanny, maybe even your poodle could make it, easy! Well, almost, anyways 😉 but you get the idea.

So, here you are: a minimal ingredient, week night soup, that’s been a surprise hit in our home for a few weeks now. Most of the ingredients are the kinds of things that I have on hand, which makes this soup particularly fantastic when it comes to the last minute, no-idea-what’s-for-dinner, gotta-pull-something-outta-your-hat-and-quick, kinda night. Just be sure to use roasted diced tomatoes (and yes, absolutely you can roast them yourself, you go getter, you!) and not plain diced tomatoes because the flavour will certainly be lacking.

We topped this soup off with some cubed avocado and fresh cilantro, but you are most free to be creative and turn that garnish scene into whatever your lovely heart desires. Just be sure to let me know how amazing it turned out!

Roasted Tomato & Black Bean Soup

Prep & Cook Time: 25 minutes
Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients

3 Tbsp coconut oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1 tsp salt
Fresh pepper
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (15oz)
1 can roasted diced tomatoes, with juices (28oz)
3 cups vegetable stock
1 bunch of kale, washed, stemmed and chopped
1 Avocado (optional, for serving)
Chopped fresh cilantro (optional, for serving)

• In a medium-large soup pot, over medium heat, melt coconut oil and add onions, stirring until softened. Add garlic, stirring until just softened. Add spices and stir just until fragrant.

• Add beans, tomatoes, and vegetable stock and reduce heat to a strong simmer. Cover with lid and allow to simmer 15-20 minutes until beans are tender.

• Stir in kale, reduce heat, and allow to wilt another 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings as needed.

As with most soups, this one gets better and better day after day!

Roasted Cauliflower & Arugula Salad

If you are the kind of person who gets intimidated by all the gorgeous food photos online and wonders how those people can find the time and energy to make such gorgeous food all the time. This one’s for you.
This recipe is SUPER simple, uses easy to find ingredients, and has a very versatile dressing that you can easily use again and again for many other (potentially less-than-instagram-impressive) salads of all kinds!

If you felt like boosting the volume and density of this salad, by turning it into more of a meal, then I would suggest adding in some cooked quinoa or even a kamut rotini pasta kinda thing.
But simply as is, is quite lovely.

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Roasted Cauliflower & Arugula Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Category: Salad, Side Dish, Main Course

Cuisine: Vegan, Real food, Nutrient-dense, Vegetarian

Yield: 2-4

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets

• 2 Tbsp coconut oil

• Salt & fresh pepper

• 1 red pepper, diced small

• 2 cups lightly packed arugula, roughly chopped

• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (or slivered almonds)

• 2 Tbsp pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped

• For the dressing:

• 1 tsp dijon

• 1 tsp maple syrup

• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

• 4 Tbsp olive oil

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1 small clove of garlic, minced

• Lots of fresh ground pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375F.

2. Toss cauliflower florets with coconut oil, salt & pepper and spread on a lined baking sheet. Roast for 30-35 minutes until lightly browned and fork-tender. Set aside to cool.

3. In a medium bowl, place cooled cauliflower and all other salad ingredients.

4. In a medium glass jar, place all dressing ingredients and shake well.

5. Toss salad ingredients with enough dressing to coat, adjusting seasonings as desired. Serve immediately.

Coconut Curry Butternut Soup

It’s a great time of year to use squash. They are abundant and satisfying, but are also nutrient-rich powerhouses. Butternut is one of my favourites! It is versatile, creamy, full-flavoured, and easy to work with. High in Vitamin C, iron, potassium, magnesium, and bursting with beta-carotene, this starch is low on the Glycemic Index and wonderful for hungry littles, growing teens, and adults needing something satiating.

This recipe is simple, quick, and just real yummy!

This soup is so flavourful, you needn’t add anything extra!

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Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

• 2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 3 Tbsp coconut oil

• 1 Tbsp minced garlic

• 1 Tbsp minced ginger

• 2 cups veggie broth

• 1 apple, peeled and cubed

• ½ tsp cumin

• 1 tsp curry powder

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• pinch salt

• 1 can coconut milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Toss squash with 1 Tbsp coconut oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15minutes or until just tender.

2. Heat remaining oil on medium-low, in a large soup pot. Add onion. Saute until soft and translucent. Add garlic and ginger and stir until fragrant.

3. Add veggie broth, apple, cooked squash and remaining spices, and simmer 10minutes or until squash is soft. Add coconut milk and stir.

4. Remove from heat and puree in blender. Return to stove and heat through. Enjoy!

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup

On a dark and stormy night, with the first fallings of snow, the candles were lit and the soup pot was a calling.
This soup created a buzzing of mmmm’s and ahhhh’s and this creative chef did a little slippered happy dance around the kitchen when it was finally time for the final reveal!
Great for a Sunday afternoon, when you’re in the house putzing about, or a weekday meal, this soup will fill the house with sultry aromas of roasting garlic and red peppers, and satisfy your desire for a creamy soup without the addition of dairy.

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Creamy Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes

Category: Soup, Appetizer, Lunch, Dinner

Cuisine: Vegan, Real food, Nutrient-dense, Vegetarian

Serving Size: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

• 2 red peppers

• 2 heads of garlic

• 2 Tbsp melted coconut oil for roasting + 3 Tbsp for soup

• Salt & Pepper

• 1 cup cashews, soaked overnight and rinsed

• 2 cups vegetable stock or bone broth

• 1 onion, diced

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 28 oz can diced organic tomatoes

• 1 tsp basil

• 1/2 tsp thyme

• Fresh pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Cut red peppers in half and place skin side up on a lined baking tray. Drizzle with coconut oil and season with salt & pepper. Cut tops off garlic bulbs. Drizzle with coconut oil, season with salt & pepper and wrap in aluminum foil. Roast peppers and garlic for 35-45 minutes until nicely soft and skin on peppers begins to bubble. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

2. Meanwhile, in a large soup pot, melt coconut oil and add onions, and stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and salt and stir for another 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add diced tomatoes and spices.

3. In your blender, combine cooled peppers and roasted garlic cloves (just squeeze them out from the whole bulb), cashews, and stock. Blend until smooth.

4. Add cashew blend to your soup pot. Bring to a gentle boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Adjust seasoning to your desired taste.

5. Serve with drizzled coconut cream, your favourite crackers, kamut toast, or straight up. Delicious every way!

I hope you enjoy this soup as much as we have in our house! This one has quickly been added to the home staples and soup repertoire, and is perfect for the onset of this wintry beauty!

Roasted Squash & Almond Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Do not underestimate the loveliness of squash at lunchtime, dear friends.
The bright orange squash is a kind of “hiding in the shadows” nutritional superhero. The kombocha is my personal favourite, full of Vitamins A & C, beta-carotene, iron, copper, magnesium, and all those amazing B vitamins.  It is a low-glycemic index carbohydrate but not a low quantifier for energy supply.

Having squash at lunch is a super way to add some veggie power, a carbohydrate hit that will get you through the afternoon slump, and lend a tummy satisfying addition to your same-old lunchtime salad bar.
You know who you are!! I see you and your same boring salad.
Try something new.
Come on, get out of that comfort zone.
You will not be disappointed!

Roasted Squash & Almond Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Serving Size: 4-6 Large Portions

Ingredients

• ½ a kabocha, acorn, or butternut squash, chopped into ½ inch cubes

• 2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted

• Sea salt & Fresh pepper

• 4 cups Mixed greens (I like spinach)

• ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced

• ½ red pepper, diced small

• ½ cucumber, seeded and sliced

• ½ cup slivered almonds, toasted

• Tahini Dressing

• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice

• ¼ cup tahini

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1/3 cup water

• ½ tsp cumin

• ½ tsp sea salt

• 1 tsp maple syrup

• 3 Tbsp olive oil

• Fresh pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Toss squash with melted coconut oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 – 40 minutes until for tender, remove from oven and set aside.

2. For the dressing, combine all ingredients in your blender or with an immersion blender and blend until smooth.

3. To assemble: in a medium bowl, place washed greens and roasted squash, then top with diced vegetables, red onion, and toasted almonds. Toss with dressing. Serves 2.