Before we get to this incredible soup, there are a couple things I need to get off my chest.
1) Eric and I have lots of nicknames for each other. Two of our favourites are: ‘Pinky’ and ‘The Brain’.
Remember that show?
Depending on the day, we fight over who is Pinky and who is The Brain.
2) When we are trying to decide what to do at night or on the weekends you can often hear us say to one another,
‘Gee Brain, what do you want to do tonight?’
‘The same thing we do every night Pinky, try to take over the world! muhuauha’
3) We also have a special voice just for Sketchie. You may have heard it at the very end of the video on Sunday.
Eric said (in Sketchie’s squeaky voice), ‘Not impressed’.
We are totally normal.
Last night, Eric said I could be ‘The Brain’ because I whipped up this amazing soup.
I turned Eric, a former non-soup lover, into a soup lover in just over 10 years.
Never say never… ;)
Holiday Soup For The Soul
This is hands down one of my all time favourite soups! Not only does it look festive just in time for the holidays, but it tastes incredible and warms the soul. It packs a wide array of seasonings and spices from cinnamon, nutmeg, and vegetable bouillon, to the saffron and curry. Somehow it just all works together magically!
Inspired by Fat Free Vegan Kitchen.
Ingredients:
- 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 cup red quinoa, uncooked
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium zucchini, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 vegetable bouillon cube (not low sodium)
- 6 cups water, boiled
- One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1.5-2 cups cooked black beans (about one 15oz can)
- 1 tsp good-quality curry powder
- Pinch or two of cinnamon
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves, well rinsed and roughly chopped
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Pinch of saffron threads (optional, but tasted amazing)
Directions: Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the chopped sweet onion and sauté over medium-low heat until translucent. Add the chopped carrots, chopped zucchini, and minced garlic, and continue to sauté for about 5-7 minutes.
Place your bouillon cube into a medium sized bowl. Boil 6 cups of water and pour over the bouillon cube. Stir well to dissolve. Add bouillon mixture, tomatoes, red quinoa, black beans, and spices + seasonings. Bring to a boil and then simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes.
Add the roughly chopped spinach, stir well, and cover. Simmer on low for about 15-35 minutes. The longer you cook it the more the flavours will develop. Taste test and adjust seasonings if necessary. I also have a feeling this soup will be even better the next day! Garnish with nuts of choice if preferred.
Makes about 8-10 cups.
Gather up the troops!
This recipe requires a bit of leg work, but the outcome is so worth it!
It took me about 30-40 minutes to prepare (plus cooking time) and that was including my photography, so perhaps a bit less time for you. ;)
These ingredients will keep any seasonal cold at bay!
I really enjoyed the zucchini in this soup. You can add in any veggies you want though.
Chop the onions, carrots, and zucchini…
Caramelize the sweet onion in the olive oil.
Add veggies.
Add everything else…diced tomato, spices, bouillon mixture, quinoa, etc.
I also decided to add a pinch of saffron threads!
I was so glad I did because the saffron tastes amazing in this soup. It is optional though, so not to worry if you don’t have any.
Simmer for about 20-30 minutes or so.
Garnish with toasted nuts if desired.
Serve in a huge bowl.
Eric said, ‘This is the best soup I have ever tasted!’
This soup is not only festive looking, but it is packed with nutrients, extremely flavourful, and perfect for cold and flu season.
I must go now. A chilly outdoor run followed by hot holiday soup awaits me… :)
Ok spill the beans. Do you have any nicknames for your significant other or is there a nickname that your friends or family call you?
We also call each other ‘Snoops’ and ‘Babe’, among other things. ;) I also used to call Eric ‘Snitzlefritz’ and he HATED it, so now I only call him that when I want to annoy him. So about 6 times a day.
Please tell me we are not alone. I will sleep better at night.
We call each other “cow” and “owl” based on the sounds that play we when each log onto AIM :)
This soup sounds SOOO good. I think I will be making this on Thursday! (I eat dinner at church on Wednesdays; I love having a night off.)
Red quinoa is my favorite! I love warm hearty soups. I already printed this :) Thinking of swapping roasted brussel sprouts and cauliflower for the zucs since they are at their peak now. Can’t wait to try!
This looks seriously yummy. I love veggie soups and this one looks heart and rich.
Thanks for sharing
you have to enter this competition! i saw it on the kind life website and immediately thought of oh she glows! Thanks for all the delicious nutritious recipes you post!
http://www.madejustright.com/bake-off
mm that soup looks amazing. must make.
my friends all call me lizzard, or barbie.
i’m single (woohoo!) but my last boyfriend used to call me his “pretty little lizzy baby” whenever he wanted something..in fact i’m pretty sure i’m in his phone as that. or was. hopefully was, that would be weird now
That’s it, I must try that soup on the next cold day! Yummm.
We are a houseful of nicknames. Everyone who comes into our circle of friendship MUST get a nickname. My husband is the Blonde Bomber, or just Bomber on most days. Our sweet dog Ripley (named for the character in “Aliens”, not the “believe it or not” kind) is called The Ripper on the days when she’s um, not so sweet. The stealthy cat’s real name is Alex (after a drummer) but we call her The Creature. You have to say it creepy-like, as in “uh oh, it’s the creeeeee-churrrrre”.
And my nickname is my blog name/user name – which ironically was a real person’s name. And my real name was a movie character’s nickname. I know, it can warp a girl, I tell you. But at this stage of life, the result is that I answer to almost anything.
I’m a new commenter, but a long-time reader — and in addition to the fact that your recipes are fantastic, I’m SO glad you talked about nicknames. My fiance and I have a whole series of ridiculous nicknames for each other, and I’m relieved to know that we’re not the only ones who do this. (Case in point: I used to live by the Russian Embassy, and since my fiance and I are both history/poli sci dorks, we developed Soviet-style nicknames as a joke. I’m Ludmilla, he’s Vladimir. We say we’re Politburo-assigned soul-mates. I’m not kidding. We’re total dweebs. :))
Keep up the fantastic recipes and the awesome photography!
Is it wrong that the this soup makes me almost “want” to get sick so I can have it? :)
Soup is both preventative and curative. Try eating it to avoid getting sick (and then, if you do get sick, you can have more). ;)
I love the idea of putting quinoa in soup. Looks great… perfect for the cold weather!
Sadly enough, no nicknames for me and the boy ;) On a side note, I could totally sing that Pinky and the Brain theme song outloud out of memorization. That show was funny! Although, of all the things for my brain to retain, it’s kinda weird, lol
This soup sounds absolutely Amazing! Can’t wait to try it out.
I had a boyfriend named Bob whom I always called Fred. I think it started as a joke, but it stuck somehow. He also used to call me “Number 1” and in return, I would call him “Number 2″….probably more strange than quirky! lol
The soup looks absolutely delicious! I’m always looking for a great soup as the weather gets cooler.
I don’t have a significant other so no silly nicknames for me! ;)
I like to call my friends annoying names; they’re usually silly phonetic variations of their real name. I like to call my friend Rachel “Rachurrrrrrr” :D
That soup looks delicious!! My friends and family have a whole slew of nicknames for me. Rarely do I get called Pam it’s usually…Pammers, Pammish, Pdiddy, Pambalina, Pambrella, Pammy, Pamcakes, Pam cat, and the two I hate…pamster ( ugh sounds too much like hamster) pambo (sounds like an elephant).
That soup looks amazing!! Interesting ingredients but Im sure it is incredible!!
the bf & i call each other “squink”… I have no idea where it came from & it is a very strange name, but it stuck! he’d die if he knew i told the blog world haha
i call my husband “buckets.” it came about because if he can’t remember someone’s name he says “what’s his bucket.” not what’s his face or what’s his name, but what’s his bucket. i hadn’t heard anyone use this term before, so i started calling him that. he calls me helly.
1) My husband and i call eachother Rabbitt, with 2 tts.2)I loved your video and voted for you and as a newish vegan, will be making those for Thanksgiving.3) In the end of your video-you did Simhasana, the lion’s pose, it’s YOGA! (I’m a yoga teacher and just wanted you to know!(;
Haha.. Pinky and the Brain. :D
My boyfriend (of 8 years) and I are incapable of calling each other by our first names. We met in a Japanese class, where only last names are used, and never quite made the transition properly. It sounds WEIRD as all get out on the rare occasion we have to use them.
We generally go with the standards, which have been modified over time. I usually call him ‘Swee’ or ‘Beb’ and he likes to call me ‘Beb’, ‘Bebe’ or the ever popular ‘Beeeb’.. most of the time we just forgo names entirely and go straight into the talking, though!