Recipes Soup

Soup is an easy and healthy way to eat vegetables. You can use the vegetables listed or use any vegetables, including leftover vegetables you might have from other meals. These soup recipes all use extra virgin olive oil and the vegetables
being cooked in the oil. This makes the vegetables taste better and the soup is more filling. Soup can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for about 3 days. You can also freeze soup in one container or in individual
servings and it will keep for a couple of months.

Easy vegetable sandwich:

You can use any vegetables you have. For each cup of vegetables, use 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Heat the olive oil in a pan. Add the vegetables and stir to combine with the oil. You can cook the vegetables on a
medium heat and sear them or turn the heat low and cook longer. The longer you cook vegetables, the sweeter they become. The vegetables can be seasoned with salt, pepper and any herbs you like. The cooked vegetables can be put on bread, toast, a roll or a wrap. You might need a knife and fork to eat it.

This recipe is from the “Food is Medicine” program and is also found in the pdf copy of the recipes.

4 servings

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups corn; canned, drained or frozen, defrosted
2 cups green beans; canned, drained or frozen, defrosted
1 cup peas; canned, drained or frozen, defrosted
1 can white beans, rinsed and drained
28 ounce can diced tomatoes

6 cups of broth (vegetable, chicken, beef); you can use any broth, including one made with bouillon

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil on medium (4 to 5 on the dial) in a large soup pan. Add the corn and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the rest of the olive oil and the green beans and peas; season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the can of drained, rinsed white beans and heat 3 to 5 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and heat through. The vegetable mixture can be left to simmer. When the vegetables are cooked as much as you want, add the vegetable broth. Heat through.

The soup can be frozen in individual servings. You can add cooked pasta, rice or potatoes, if you like at the time of eating.

Per serving:
Calories 460

Grams of carbohydrate 56
Servings of starch 1
Servings of vegetables 3.5

Cost for total recipe: $ 6.94
Cost per serving: $ 1.74

October 2015

This recipe is from the “Food is Medicine” program and is also found in the pdf copy of the recipes.

4 servings

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (red or white), (1 small)
1 cup frozen, defrosted broccoli, chopped
2/3 cup frozen, defrosted spinach
2 cups sliced carrots; raw, canned/drained or frozen, defrosted

6 cups vegetable broth you can use any broth, including one made with bouillon

Heat about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil on medium (4 to 5 on the dial) in a large soup pan. Add the onions, stir to coat with oil and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the rest of the olive oil and stir in the broccoli and spinach; season with salt and pepper. Cook 3 to 5 minutes.

Stir in the carrots and cook 3 to 5 minutes. Stir to combine everything.
Reduce the heat to simmer and cook the vegetables for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the vegetable broth. Heat through.

The soup can be frozen in individual servings. You can add cooked pasta, rice or potatoes, if you like at the time of eating.

Per serving:
Calories 270

Grams of carbohydrate 17
Servings of starch 0
Servings of vegetables 3

Cost for total recipe: $ 4.48
Cost per serving: $ 1.12

October 2015

This recipe is from the “Food is Medicine” program and is also found in the pdf copy of the recipes.

6 servings

1 pound potatoes (about 2 medium baking potatoes)
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (red or white), (1 small)
2 cups carrots canned, drained or frozen, defrosted
1 ½ cup dry lentils (red lentils make a thicker soup)

8 cups vegetable broth; you can use any broth, including one made with bouillon Herbs that will add a great flavor, but are not essential: Sprig of
fresh thyme, 2 to 3 bay leaves

Scrub the potatoes clean and cut into pieces about 1 to 1 ½ inches in size. Put the potato pieces in a small pan; cover the potatoes with cold water. Add about ½ teaspoon of salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low-medium and cook just until you can piece with a fork (5 to 7 minutes).

Heat about 4 tablespoons of the olive oil on medium (4 to 5 on the dial) in a large soup pan. Add the onions, stir to coat with oil; season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the rest of the olive oil and the carrots, stir to mix in, reduce the heat to low and cook for about 10 minutes.

Add the lentils, vegetable broth, and the herbs. Raise heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 45 minutes.

Add cooked potatoes and heat through.

Per serving:
Calories 400
Grams of carbohydrate 50
Servings of starch 4.5
Servings of vegetables 1

Cost for total recipe: $5.74
Cost per serving (cup): $1.44

October 2015

This recipe is from the “Food is Medicine” program and is also found in the pdf copy of the recipes.

Makes 4 servings

1 cup cooked pearled barley
6 cups broth (vegetable, chicken or beef) or water
4 cups chopped kale
1 to 2 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion (red or white), chopped (about 1 cup)
1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed

Cooking the barley: put 3 cups of water in a large pan; cover the pan and bring the water to a boil. Add the barley, cover and bring back to a boil. Lower the heat to low and cook about 45 minutes or until the water is all absorbed and the barley is tender.

While the barley is cooking, heat the olive oil on medium-low (3 to 4 on the dial) in a large soup pan. Add the kale and onions, stir to coat with oil; season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 20 minutes. You can cook these vegetables longer if the barley is not cooked; just lower the heat to simmer.

Put the vegetable broth or water in a large soup pan. When the barley is cooked, add the cooked onion and the drained beans and heat through.

Per serving:
Calories 485
Grams of carbohydrate 64
Servings of starch 1.5
Servings of vegetables 1.5

Cost for total recipe: $ 4.78
Cost per serving: $ 1.20

October 2015

4 servings

½ cup or 8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 cups cauliflower heads

3 cup shredded Savoy cabbage (could substitute head cabbage, if you like)

6 cups baby spinach leaves

1 can (1 ¾ cups) legumes (cannellini, black, red kidney) beans, drained and rinsed.

1 qt. vegetable broth

4 ounces (dry weight) small pasta (pastene, elbow), white or whole wheat

Optional:  Salt and pepper for the vegetables.  Parmesan cheese rinds (keep the rinds when you have used all the cheese and add to soap while cooking for flavor).

Put the olive oil in a soup pan.  Add the cauliflower and cabbage, stir to combine and heat on medium-low (2 to 3 on the dial) for 45 minutes to an hour.  Season with salt and pepper.  Stir in the spinach and heat another 10 minutes.  Add the drained beans and broth and heat about 30 minutes.  If you are using the parmesan rind, add it with the broth.

Cook the pasta 1-2 minutes less than the directions indicate, cool slightly and add to the soup

April 2020

4 servings

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 cup diced red onion

1 cup diced celery

4 cups sliced mushrooms

4 cups baby spinach

¼ cup corn starch (you can also use white, all-purpose flour but corn starch does not add a taste)

1 qt. vegetable broth

6 oz. dry weight, barley cooked as directed.

Optional:  Salt and pepper for the vegetables.  Bay leaves and fresh or dried thyme.

Put the olive oil in a soup pan.  Add the mushrooms stir to combine and heat on medium-low (2 to 3 on the dial) for 20-30 minutes or until soft.  Season with salt and pepper.   Stir in the spinach and heat 10 more minutes.  Sprinkle the cornstarch over the cooked vegetables and stir in so that there is no dry powder visible.  Stir in the vegetable broth, bay leaves and thyme (if you are using them and they add a nice flavor, turn the heat up to medium and stir until the broth thickens.  If you are stirring constantly, you can turn the heat up slightly higher.  Add the cooked barley and simmer 20-30 minutes for the flavors to combine. 

April 2020

Soup basics for a plant-based, olive oil diet

A soup is an easy meal to make in advance and bring with you to work or school.  You can make a soup on the weekend or at night.  Just put the olive oil and vegetables in the soup pan, cook for desired time.  Cool and portion into containers.

Ingredients:

Extra virgin olive oil: at least 1 tablespoon per serving, 2 is healthier and will help to keep you full until dinner.

Vegetables: ½ cup most vegetables = 1 serving; 1 cup of salad greens = 1 serving

Use at least 1 cup per serving. Frozen vegetables cook up quicker v raw.

Examples: raw carrots, celery, onions, peppers, spinach canned tomato; canned/ drained corn, tomatoes; frozen broccoli, spinach

Bouillon: 1 quart or 4 cups; this is enough for 4 to 6 servings; use more if you are making more servings

• There are many choices for quart sized liquid bouillon. You can use vegetable, chicken, or beef.

Optional:  fresh or dried herbs

Put the olive oil in a soup pan.  Add the vegetables and stir to coat with the olive oil.  Cover the pan (so you decrease the loss of the healthy components in olive oil) and heat on low- medium until the vegetables are soft.  This will likely be 15 to 20 minutes.

Cool and portion into containers for either packing lunches or to freeze.  Plastic quart yogurt containers make great storage units.

You can either add the starch before freezing or add it when you are ready to use it.  Starch does not always freeze well.

Starch:  3 ounces (dry weight) for 1500 calories meal plan and 4 ounces (dry weight) for 1800 calories; examples: barley, pasta, quinoa, rice

Cook as directed and cool.

4 servings

½ cup or 8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cups frozen diced turnips

2 cups cauliflower florets

2 cups chopped celery

4 cups baby spinach

1 qt. vegetable broth

Bay leaves (you could use any herb, fresh or dried, that you would like)

24 ounces potatoes (any variety), diced.

Salt

Optional:  Salt and pepper for the vegetables.

Put the olive oil in a soup pan.  Add the turnips and cauliflower, stir to combine and heat on medium-low (2 to 3 on the dial) for about 20 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Stir in the celery and cook 10-15 minutes longer.  Stir in the spinach and cook another 5-10 minutes.  Add the vegetable broth and any herbs.

While the vegetables are cooking, put the diced potatoes in a pan, add 1-2 inches of water and about 1 teaspoon of salt, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cook until you can just pierce the potatoes with a fork.  Drain, cool slightly, and add to the soup.

April 2020

4 servings

½ cup or 8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ to 1 teaspoon cumin

½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 cups of sliced peppers (frozen peppers work well but fresh are ok to use)

2 cups of corn

2 cups of black beans

1 qt. vegetable broth

2 cups cooked rice (white or brown)

Optional:  Salt and pepper for the vegetables.

Put the olive oil in a soup pan.  Add the cumin and cayenne pepper, then the peppers.   Stir to combine and heat on medium-low (2 to 3 on the dial) for 15 to 20 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the corn, cook another 10 minutes.  Add the black beans, broth and rice and heat through.

April 2020

4 servings

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup diced celery

1 cup chopped onion, red or white

2 cups of corn (drained canned or frozen)

32 fl. Oz. of 1% milk (you can also use 2% or whole, which would increase the calories)

24 ounces of potatoes (and variety), scrubbed clean and diced

Optional:  Salt and pepper for the vegetables.

Put the olive oil in a soup pan.  Stir in the cayenne pepper.  Add the celery and onion, stir to combine and heat on medium-low (2 to 3 on the dial) for 20 to 30 minutes or until the onion is translucent.  Season with salt and pepper.  Stir in the corn and cook 5 to 10 minutes more.  Add the milk.

While the vegetables are cooking, put the potatoes in a pan; add about 2 inches of water and ½ to 1 teaspoon of salt.  Cover, bring to a boil and cook until you can just pierce the potato with a fork.  Drain, cool slightly and add to the soup.

April 2020

4 servings

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ – 1 teaspoon dried thyme

6 cups baby spinach leaves

1 cup canned puree tomatoes

1 qt. vegetable broth

6 oz. (dry weight) couscous

Optional:  Salt and pepper for the vegetables.

Put the olive oil in a soup pan.  Stir in the thyme.  Add the spinach, stir to combine and heat on medium-low (2 to 3 on the dial) for 15-20 minutes or until spinach is wilted.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the tomatoes and broth.  Add the dry couscous and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium and cook 8 minutes or until couscous is soft.

April 2020

4 servings

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon dried thyme

3 cups sliced onions

2 cups sliced mushrooms

4 cups vegetable broth

4 – 1 oz. slices of Italian bread

4 oz. shredded Mozzarella cheese ( ¼ cup shredded = 1 oz.)

Optional:  Salt and pepper for the vegetables.

Put the olive oil in a soup pan.  Stir in the thyme.  Add the onions and mushroom, stir to combine, cover and heat on medium (3 to 4 on the dial) for 20 to 30 minutes or until the onions are cooked as much as you would like.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the broth and simmer while you are preparing the bread.

Bread and topping: turn on the broiler and toast the bread slightly on each side.  Keep the broiler on.  Pour the soup into 4 soup bowls that can go under a broiler.  Top each bowl with a piece of toast, then sprinkle 1 oz. (1/4 cup) of cheese on each.  Put the bowls on a jelly roll pan and put under the broiler to melt the cheese.

April 2020

4 servings

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 cups baby kale (if small kale leaves are not available, tear large leaves into small pieces)

Celery salt

2 cups cannellini beans

1 cup canned, stewed tomatoes

2 cups vegetable broth

Bay leaves

2 cups cooked brown rice (you can substitute white)

Optional:  Salt and pepper for the vegetables.

Put the olive oil in a soup pan.  Add the kale, season with celery salt, stir to combine and heat on medium (3 to 4 on the dial) for about 20 minutes.  While the kale is cooking, put the beans and tomatoes in a food processor to puree.  You can leave some of the beans for the soup, if you would prefer beans in the soup.  If you do not have a food processor, smash the beans and tomato together.  Blend in the tomatoes.  Add the mixture to the cooked kale and add the broth and bay leaves. Cook for about 15 minutes to blend the flavor.  Add the cooked rice.

April 2020

4 servings

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 cups of broccoli florets

3 tablespoons of white flour

3 cups vegetable broth

1 cup 1% milk (you can use a different % fat but that will change the calories)

4 oz. grated Parmesan cheese ( ¼ cup = 1 oz.)

Optional:  Salt and pepper for the vegetables.

Preheat an oven to 400°F.   Toss the broccoli florets with the olive oil.  Season with salt.  Put on a jelly roll pan (a cookie sheet with sides) and roast for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and turn over the pieces.  Continue to cook until at least some parts of the florets are roasted. Remove the cooked broccoli from the oven and add to a soup pan.

Sprinkle the flour over the broccoli and stir to mix all the flour into the roasted broccoli.  You should not see any dry flour or that will cause lumps in the sauce.  Turn the heat to medium (3-4 on the dial) and add the vegetable broth and milk.  Stir the fluid with a fork or whisk until it starts to boil and thicken.  Pour into soup bowls and top with ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese per bowl.

April 2020