Recipe Sampler - Soups
Favorite Vegetable Soup
This is a medium carbohydrate dish. Add high-protein food of your choice.This soup can be made in a variety of configurations and consistencies. You can also add more vegetables and spices as you like. After you make this soup once, you'll become a pro at making your own variations; the possibilities are endless.
Serves 8: 8 cups of water (less if you like your soup thick); 1 large potato - peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes; 1 large carrot - peeled, chopped or diced into very thin pieces; 2 large celery stalks, chopped or diced; 1 medium onion, diced; 1 cup broccoli, cut into small pieces; 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped; 1/2 to 1 cup cauliflower, cut into tiny pieces; 1 zucchini or other squash, peeled and chopped; 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons seasoning salt, or to taste
Preparation:
- Boil the water in a large soup pot.
- Add all ingredients and cook for at least one hour at a simmer or low boil. While cooking, taste-test to see if more salt or spices are needed, per your preference.
- Leave lid cracked or off for a while if you want thicker soup.
- Add any other vegetables of your choice. Experiment!
Okra Gumbo Soup
This is a low to medium carbohydrate dish. Include protein food of your choice.This is Dr. Leichtberg's absolute favorite soup recipe. Its unique, delicate flavor comes from the wondrous combination of allspice, tomatoes, corn, pepper, and cloves, and the okra gives it a smooth, slippery texture that's very unusual. It's delicious! And the blend of vegetables makes this a very colorful dish indeed.
Serves 4 to 6: 1 onion, chopped; 6 cloves; 2 1/2 to 3 cups tomatoes, diced; 3 to 4 cups vegetable stock (depending on how thick you like it) or water if you have no stock (use less water than stock); 1 to 1 1/2 green peppers, diced; 1 cup cooked lima beans (optional); 2 to 2 1/2 cups sliced okra (best if fresh); 1/2 cup fresh corn; 2 teaspoons salt, to taste (seasoning salt is fine, especially Herbamare); 1/4-1/2 teaspoon allspice
Preparation:
- Add enough water in pan for sauteing, then saute onions with whole cloves until onions are soft. Remove the cloves from the pan.
- Remove the cloves from the pan.
- Transfer onions (with cloves removed) to soup pot.
- Add vegetable stock and bring mixture to a boil
- Add green pepper and stir over medium heat for several minutes. Then stir in the tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil, turn down the heat, and let simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients. If you're using frozen okra, it should be partially thawed and then sliced. Bring the soup to a boil again, cover, and simmer for 15-25 minutes
Alternate preparation:
You may simply get some frozen gumbo vegetables from your supermarket's frozen food section, add canned stewed tomatoes, a bit of salt and ground allspice, heat... and this soup can be done in a matter of minutes!
