Beets Cooking

The soups are…..

Red Lentil Soup w. Lemon Ingredients: Olive oil, onion, garlic, tomato paste, cumin, kosher salt, pepper, red lentils, carrots, lemon & fresh cilantro.  Simple, soothing & hearty!  13. per quart served w. bread- vegetarian, vegan & gluten-free

Hamburger Soups– one of my childhood favorites.  Great for a cold night!  Ingredients: organic ground beef, onions, garlic, celery, carrots, chicken stock, tomatoes, barley, ketchup, oregano, thyme, basil, kosher salt & pepper.  13. per quart served w. bread & garnished w. Parmesan cheese.

Sweet Treat: Chocolate Toffee Cookies- 1. per cookie

In November we celebrate the end of harvest.  We still have the rare day when it is warm enough to venture outside in a t-shirt.  We spend a lot of time thinking about & expressing our thanks.

In December the dark envelopes us- however we embrace it with twinkly lights, festive music, holidays, rich food, friends and family.  December is also a time to be thankful for the riches that make our lives complete.

January arrives with a bang.  We start with a clean slate, minds full of well intentioned self improvement in all aspects of our lives.  Then mid January is upon us.  Enthusiasm for the fresh start promised by a new year is starting to wane.  It is cold.  It is dark.  It is still winter and most of the powdery snow that was so beautiful has disappeared.  This is the time of year when I (maybe you too!) need a little pick me up.  The sun on a frigid day is beautiful.  The days ARE getting longer- and a mid winter sunset is a true thing of beauty.  And food- ah yes, food!  What tastes better on a bitter cold day then soup?  Not much.  This weeks soups will give you something to be thankful for at the end of a cold January day.  Yum.

Creamless Broccoli Soup…Okay, the soup is creamless BUT because I think just about anything tastes better with cheddar cheese I need to add some as a garnish!  Easily omitted if you are a vegan 🙂  Ingredients:  Canola oil, onions, celery, garlic, broccoli, veggie stock, quick cooking oatmeal, lemon juice, kosher salt & pepper.  Garnished w. fresh chives & cheddar cheese.  13. per quart served w. bread.  Gluten-free (all my research has shown that oats are ok- if not please let me know!), Vegetarian & Vegan (minus garnish)

Classic Chicken Noodle…due to wonderful feedback from one of my young customers the chicken in the soup will be CHUNKED not shredded!  Ingredients: Canola oil, onions, garlic, home made chicken stock, celery, carrots, chicken, egg noodles, kosher salt, pepper & fresh dill.  13. per quart

Sweet Treat: Cupcake Time!  Chocolate Cupcakes w. Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting- 2. per cupcake

I am smitten with Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen.  I have been a bit late jumping on the band wagon.  I heard an interview with her a few months ago which sparked my interest.  I then received her cookbook for Christmas- which I LOVE.  This led to me checking out her blog, which led to me reading old posts, and older posts, and older posts still.  I like her food, healthy but not too healthy, interesting, but not “foodie” infused.  She cooks food that I like to cook and food that I like to eat.  In the introduction to her book she says she came by what she does because “I just like to cook”.  That is also how I came by what I do- I just like cook.  This weeks soups & sweet treat are all adapted from the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook and blog.  Enjoy~

Carrot Soup with Crispy Spiced Chickpeas & Lemon Tahini Sauce…a cream-less, creamy carrot soup garnished with crispy chickpeas & a dollop of lemon tahini sauce.  Ingredients: Soup- olive oil, carrots, onions, garlic, coriander, cumin, kosher salt, pepper & red pepper flakes.  Chick Peas: chick peas, olive oil, kosher salt & cumin.  Sauce:  lemon juice, tahini, little bit of water, kosher salt.  13. per quart served w. bread.  Gluten-Free, Vegetarian & Vegan

Sweet Potato & Sausage Soup…Part chunky and part smooth.  The soups gets its flavor from the chorizo. Ingredients:  olive oil, all natural chicken chorizo sausage, onions, garlic, sweet potatoes, russet potatoes, chicken stock, and spinach.  13. per quart served w. bread.  Gluten-Free

Sweet Treat: Iced Oatmeal Cookies- 1. each

What a chilly week!  Funny how easy it is to forget what below zero feels like!  Makes 40 feel like a heat wave.  I am now once again acclimated to the cold- and re-acclimated (not sure that is really a word) to work!  Two of my favorite soups this week…order up, stay warm & cozy, and enjoy what may be a real Vermont winter!

Black Bean Veggie Chili…A really fresh tasting vegetarian chili…mellow spice & lots of flavor.  I always assume that those of you who like it REALLY hot, have lots of hot sauce  in the fridge!  Ingredients: Canola oil, black beans, onions, garlic, red, yellow or orange bell peppers, poblano peppers, tomatoes, cumin, Mexican oregano, chipolatas in adobo, fresh cilantro, lime juice, kosher salt & pepper.  Garnished w. lime marinated red onions, sour cream & jack cheese.  13. per quart served w. bread.  Vegetarian, Gluten-Free & Vegan minus dairy garnishes.

Pasta & Meatball Soup…Yum!  Those of you who have been ordering for a while know that I have a thing w. meatballs & that this is one of my favorite soups!  A VERY filling meal in a bowl. Ingredients: Olive oil, garlic, onions, celery, carrots & tomatoes- purred to make a delish broth- baby past.  Meatballs: ground turkey, garlic, bread crumbs, eggs, tich of nutmeg, parsley, kosher salt & pepper.  Garnished w. fresh parm.  13. per quart served w. bread.

Sweet Treat: Grapefruit Olive Oil Pound Cake….kind of like Lemon Cake but w. Ruby Red Grapefruit- no butter!  Olive oil & buttermilk make it moist!  2. per slice.