Curried Lentil Soup

It's gray and cold outside, so I wanted to make something for lunch that was both hearty and inspired without taking too much effort. I saw the jar of red lentils on the counter and knew I'd be making this soup. Forgive me, but this is one of those infuriatingly imprecise recipes that less than enthusiastic cooks hate. All I can say is you make it your own by adding what you have and what you want. It's so simple to begin with, that I'm confident anyone can make this good. 

Start by slicing some bacon strips into small pieces. I generally use 1 slice per serving.  Start that rendering and dice 1 medium onion. That can get tossed in as soon as you're ready. Now cube some potatoes, again I generally use 1 small red skin potato per serving. Toss them in and give everything a good stir. Let them brown and add your lentils. I use red for this dish, but yellow would work, too. About 1/4 cup per serving. Stir them in along with about 1.5 cups veggie stock per serving. Add a good dash of sweet yellow curry and pop the lid on. Let everything simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Now, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the pot and give everything a good stir. Add salt and pepper to taste and finish with a handful of chopped fresh cilantro. Ladle some onto a sunny, happy bowl and enjoy hot or cold. 

YOU'LL NEED:

1 strip bacon per serving

1 medium onion

1 small potato per serving

1/4 cup lentils per serving, red or yellow

1.5 cups vegetable stock/broth per serving

Sweet yellow curry powder

Fresh cilantro

A fresh lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

Creamy Potato Leek Soup

It's cold, it's wet, and my kitchen is jam-packed with people. It's soup weather in Western New York. We have a couple of vegetarians in the family, so when I make the soup I err on the side of vegan. Family and friends are in town and dropping by throughout the day pretty much every day as we head towards Christmas, so it's always necessary to have something on hand that can either be heated up quickly or simmer for a long while in order to accommodate visitors. Potato Leek Soup is a great way to start. It's easy to make, and it's one of those soups you can make vegan without many people noticing. For the meat-eaters at your table, you can offer crumbled bacon as a topping. I usually put some out as well as a bowl of chopped green onions, one of grated cheese (for those who can have it), and some homemade croutons.

Here's what you'll need to make enough soup for 4-6 people:

2 lbs of potatoes - peel them,cut them into chunks, and put them in a bowl of cold water.
3 large leeks - remove the dark green tops, wash well, and chop
2 Tbsp "butter"
2 cups coconut culinary milk
3 cups gluten free vegetable broth (I love this base)
2 tsp chopped fresh marjoram
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
Tennessee Sunshine (or any other hot sauce you have on hand)
salt and pepper to taste

1) In a soup pot, melt your butter alternative and stir in the leeks. Cook them for about 10 minutes until they are soft, but not brown.

2) Add the broth and potatoes. Bring to a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

3) Scoop roughly half of the soup into a blender and puree until smooth. Return it to the pot and stir in the coconut milk, herbs, and salt and pepper. Add a dash or 5 of hot sauce to give it a happy little kick.