Since we've been enjoying some unseasonably cool, crisp mornings here, I felt like some cozy-warm soup for lunch. I turned to How it All Vegan by Tanya Bernard and Sarah Kramer for what sounded like a perfect blend of autumny-comfort and exotic spiciness:
Auntie Bonnie's Curried Apple Soup.
1 large onion
1 apple, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp curry powder
3-4 cups vegetable broth or water
2 cups "Anything Goes" vegetables, diced (e.g., broccoli, zucchini, asparagus)
1/4 cup rice
salt & pepper (to taste)
In a medium pot, sauté the onions and apple in oil on medium heat until onions become translucent. Sprinkle with curry powder, stir well. Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Add the vegetables, rice, salt and pepper; cover and simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes, until rice and vegetables are tender. In a blender or food processor, blend 1/2 or all of the soup until smooth; return to pot and reheat. Serves 4-6.
Overall, I really enjoyed this recipe. I used broccoli and didn't add a full two cups because I wanted more of the onion-apple sweetness. I still would have liked the overall dish to be a tad more sweet, the spiciness of the curry powder was a bit overpowering for my taste, but overall it was still hearty and delicious. It's a great way to use up veggies and also to get rid of some left-over rice (I actually think it would be better to add pre-cooked rice as my veggies were all well-cooked before the rice got tender--this would also save time!) My non-vegan husband also enjoyed the soup. I'll definitely be returning to How it all Vegan! soon.
