things I like

things I like

Instant Pot Creamy Red Lentil Soup

  1. 2 tablespoons olive oil
  2. 1 cup diced onion
  3. 1 cup diced carrots
  4. .5 cup diced celery
  5. 5 cloves garlic minced
  6.  16 ounces cans tomatoes
  7. 1 quart reduced-sodium vegetable broth
  8. 2 cups water
  9. 1.5 cups red lentils, rinsed
  10. 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  11. 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  12. 1 teaspoon salt
  13. 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  14. 2 cups fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped
  15. 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  1. Select Browning/Sauté and add the olive oil to the pressure cooking pot. When the oil is hot, add the onion, carrots, and celery. Saut. for about 5 minutes until tender.
  2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the tomatoes, vegetable broth, water, lentils, cumin, thyme, salt, and pepper. Lock the lid in place. Select High Pressure and 10 minutes cook time.
  3. When the cook time ends, turn off the pressure cooker. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes and finish with a quick pressure release. 
  4. When the valve drops, carefully remove the lid. Transfer 2 cups soup to a large bowl. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup in the pot until smooth. (You can also use a standard blender). Stir in the reserved soup, spinach, and red wine vinegar.
  5.  Select Simmer/Sauté and cook for just a few minutes until the spinach wilts. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with a swirl of heavy cream.


corn chowder with chile, lime and cotija from smitten kitchen.com

8 medium/large ears corn, husks and silks removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 large onion, preferably Spanish, chopped fine
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped
1 tablespoon mild chili powder or 1 teaspoon of a hotter one
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups  vegetable or chicken stock or broth
2 15-ounce cans small red or black beans, drained and rinsed (or one of each) (3 1/2 cups)
1 cup whole milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper or cayenne to taste
1/2 to 1 cup (120 to 235 ml) heavy cream

FINISH

  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
  • 1/2 cup finely crumbled Cotija, feta or ricotta salata cheese, plus more for serving
  • 1 lime, divided
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
  • Chili powder or a chili-lime seasoning such as Tajín
  • Baked tortilla chips (optional)

Make the soup: With a sharp knife, cut kernels from 8 ears corn (you should have about 6 cups); transfer half to a bowl. Chop the other half into pulpy bits on a cutting board or blend them in a food processor until half-pureed. Add to bowl. Firmly scrape any pulp remaining on cobs with back of knife into bowl with corn, unless you’re me and had weirdly dry stalks, yielding no corn “milk.” Set corn aside.

In a large (5 quarts is ideal) heavy pot, heat olive oil and butter over medium. Add onion and cook until tender and beginning to brown at the edges, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeño and chili powder and cook together for 2 minutes more. Add flour and stir into onion-garlic mixture until it disappears. Stirring constantly, gradually add stock. Add beans, corn, and 1 cup milk and bring to a simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 13 minutes, until corn is tender. Add salt (I used about 1 tablespoon Diamond kosher salt total here) and freshly ground black pepper or cayenne to taste. Add cream to taste (we found 1/2 cup sufficient, but it will be less creamy than traditional) and cook for 3 minutes more.

To finish: Combine mayonnaise, sour cream or crema, cheese, and juice of half a lime in a bowl; stir to combine. Cut second half of lime into wedges.

Ladle soup into bowls and dollop in center with 1 tablespoon (or more to taste) of mayo-cheese mixture. Squeeze lime juice over to taste, sprinkle with chili powder and chopped cilantro and serve, baked tortilla chips on the side if you wish.

Chinese Vegetarian Noodle Soup (中式素汤面) from omnivorescookbook.com

Tofu
  • 1/2 block (16 ounces / 450 g) extra firm tofu
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari for a gluten-free alternative)
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or agave nectar)
Soup
  • (3.5 ounces) 100 grams noodles (*Footnote 1)
  • 1 tablespoon peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 6 cups vegetable broth (or homemade Detox Vegetable Broth)
  • 2 cups (1/2 pound) mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 cup mixed frozen vegetables (e.g. green peas, carrots and corn)
  • 2 green onion, chopped
  • 1 large piece ginger
  • 4 cup chopped kale
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or tamari for a gluten-free alternative)
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
Serving options
  • Poached or boiled eggs
  • Chopped cilantro and chopped green onion for garnish
  • Pickled vegetables (zha cai) and fermented tofu
  • Homemade Chili Oil or Sriracha
  • Notes: 1. For wheat noodles, you can use chuka soba, udon noodles, somen noodles, and any other wheat noodles that only contain wheat flour and water (and maybe some salt). For gluten-free noodle soup, use rice noodles, Vermicelli or Shirataki noodles.
    2. Alternatively, you can dust the tofu with 2 tablespoons cornstarch — it will create an even crispier crust.

Winter detox moroccan sweet potato lentil soup from littlespicejar.com

1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed into small pieces
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup onions, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 ½ cups green or brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 ½ teaspoon EACH coriander AND cumin powder
1 teaspoon curry powder (or more to taste)
½ teaspoon EACH smoked paprika, ground cinnamon, AND turmeric
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
6-7 cups low sodium broth (vegetable or chicken)
2 ½ cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
¼ cup lemon juice or lemon wedges for serving

Place the sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, red bell pepper, garlic, lentils, spices, and 6 cups of broth into a slow cooker. Cover and cook on the low setting for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. Check the lentils for doneness. If you’re lentils have been in the pantry for a while, note that they’ll take a bit longer to cook through.

Place half the soup into a blender along with a little additional broth (½ cup or so) and blend till smoothish. Alternately, you can use an immersion blender directly in the slow cooker but be sure to not blend all of the soup if you want it to have a chunkier texture. Add the puree back into the slow cooker. Stir in the baby spinach and lemon juice. Cover the slow cooker, unplug it, and allow the ingredients to just hang out for 30 minutes or so until the spinach wilts down.

Season with salt, pepper and curry powder to taste as desired. Thin with additional broth to desired consistency. Serve warm with whipped greek yogurt, fried pita bread, and tons of fresh herbs (parsley or cilantro) on top!

broccoli cheddar soup from smitten kitchen.com

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped small
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup half-and-half
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/4 pounds broccoli or 4 cups broccoli florets and stems, chopped small
1 large carrot (about 6 ounces) or 2 slim ones, chopped tiny (1 cup)
8 ounces (about 2 1/2 cups) coarsely grated sharp cheddar cheese, plus a pinch extra for garnish

Melt the butter in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes, then gradually whisk in the half-and-half until smooth. Add thebroth, bay leaf, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

Add the broccoli and carrot to the broth mixture and simmer until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and adjust seasoning if needed, but err on the cautious side with the salt because the cheese will add a bit. Puree the soup to your desired texture — I like mine fairly chunky, just lightly blended — with an immersion blender or in an upright one. Back on the stove, add cheese and whisk until melted, about 1 minute.

Serve in bowls, garnished with a pinch of cheese. We like a hearty slice of grainy toasted bread on the side, for swiping.

Deb’s notes: Instead of 1 cup half-and-half, you could use 1/2 cup milk + 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup heavy cream + 1/2 cup additional stock or broth. I like to use both broccoli florets and stems when I cook, and I find that the stems cook up with the best texture and at the same rate as the florets when I peel them first. I did so here.

asian noodles/soup instant pot

1/2 lb. fresh korean noodles
4 tbsp soy sauce
2-3 tbsp garlic/ginger paste
1/4 c sliced mushrooms
carrot, julliened
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1/2 onion, diced
4 scallions, sliced
snow peas (opt)
1/2 tsp sambal
3 c veggie stock
2 tbsp sesame oil

1-2 min then QR
add green part of scallions after cooking
1 egg (optional) whisked and added to soup, stirring constantly

instant pot golden lentil soup, kitchen treaty.com

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 medium stalks celery, diced 
  • 4 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper+ more to taste
  • 1 cup dry brown lentils, rinsed well in cold water
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 8 ounces (about 6 cups) baby spinach or1 pkg  frozen spinach
    parsley to taste

 
  1. Hit “Saute” button on Instant Pot. Add oil. When hot, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Saute, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, turmeric, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute.
  2. Add the lentils and pour in the broth. Stir.
  3. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure the release valve is in the “sealing” position. Press the “Manual” button and set the timer at 14 minutes.
  4. The Instant Pot will warm up for about 10 minutes and then start cooking. After the 12 minutes is up, quick-release by flipping the release valve to “venting” (a little bit at a time at first).
  5. Once venting is complete, remove the lid of the Instant Pot. Stir in the spinach. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired. Serve.
  6. Keeps in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Freezes well too!

Indian Coconut Tomato Soup from twosleevers.com

  • 1 can unsweetened coconut milk full fat
  • 1 red onion, diced
  • 6 roma tomatoes, chopped in quarters or  canned tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  1. Put all ingredients into the Instant Pot and cook on High for 5 minutes. Allow the pot to sit undisturbed for 10 minutes. After that, release pressure. If you start to see sputtering and spewing from the valve, close the valve and try again in 5 minutes.

  2. Remove from the pot and use an immersion blender to mix all the ingredients together and get a smooth soup.

notes: I used 1 quart frozen tomatoes, 2 tsp garlic ginger past and less cayenne

For Stove Top
  1. Cook all ingredients together until the tomatoes are soft and bursting.

  2. Remove from the pot and use an immersion blender to mix all the ingredients together and get a smooth soup.

SUBSTITUTIONS:

  • You can use a 14-oz can of tomatoes instead of fresh tomatoes if you prefer.

Instant Pot Sweet Potato Tortilla Soup from instantpoteats.com

  • NOTE:  make sure you do not add more that line indicates
    1 large brown onion, finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 3-4 large garlic cloves, finely diced
  • ½ red chili, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro (stalks and leaves)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
  • 1 lb / 550 g sweet potato, diced into cubes
  • 1 can black beans, rinsed
  • 2 cups chopped tinned tomatoes
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 cube vegetable stock cube
  • Juice of ½ lime
To serve
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • Handful of fresh cilantro/coriander, roughly chopped
  • Handful of corn tortilla chips, crumbled over the top
  • A dollop of sour cream (in bowls, per person)
  • 1-2 tablespoons of grated cheddar (in bowls, per person)
  • Grated cheese
  1. Press the Sauté key on the Instant Pot (it should say Normal, 30 mins). Add the onions, olive oil and one teaspoon of salt and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring a few times.
  2. Add the garlic, chili, cilantro, spices and the remaining salt and stir through. Add the sweet potatoes, beans, tomatoes, water and vegetable stock cube. Stir through well and press Keep Warm/Cancel function key to stop the Sauté process.
  3. Place and lock the lid, making sure the steam releasing handle is pointing to Sealing. Press Manual, High pressure and set to 3 minutes. After 3 beeps the pressure cooker will start going. Once the IP stops cooking, allow 5 minutes for natural release and then use the quick release method to let off the rest of the steam and pressure.
  4. Open the lid and stir in the juice of ½ lime. You can also add extra fresh cilantro directly in the pot.
  5. Serve the soup in bowls, topped with diced avocado and crispy corn tortilla chips. Add a dollop of sour cream and some cheddar cheese on top, if you like.

Red lentil soup from Terry

2 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
1 large onion chopped
1 tablespoon of garlic ginger paste
2 tablespoon tomato paste (mine comes in a tube)
1 teaspoon cumin ground
1 teaspoon curry powder
Baby book choy, chopped (I just happened to have it)
1 cup red lentils
4 1/2 cups veg stock (or water)
1/2 can of coconut milk

Sauté veg and spices in oil until fragrant.
Add the lentils and liquid .

Lock lid and set to high pressure for 15 minutes. Natural pressure release