Warming Veggie Soup

Well it was back to work for me last week, with the unpacking of boxes and phone calls to settle into our new community pushed to the end of each day. With my cooking time cut down to whatever minutes I could spare, this warming veggie soup was perfect. It goes together in minutes and tastes divine. The secret to this soup is the spice mix. I will admit to stocking up on a special blend each summer in Germany, but you can easily create your own in advance or add a pinch or two of each of the ingredients while cooking. There is no wrong way to season this soup, so use what you have and enjoy experimenting. Aside from the spices, this soup goes together with ease with a handful of veggies from your fridge and a can of chickpeas from your pantry. If you happen to have a cup of leftover rice, pasta or quinoa it would make a welcome addition.

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, peeled and finely diced
• 2 teaspoons of Sonnentor’s Sunkiss Blossom Blend, or a blend of any of 1 teaspoon of turmeric, 1 bay leaf, ½ teaspoon of grated fresh ginger along with a pinch of all or any of the following: cardamon, nutmeg, cumin, coriander, fenugreek, mustard seed, thyme, and cayenne pepper.
• 4 carrots, diced
• 1 large sweet pepper, diced
• 1 head of cauliflower, broken into bite-sized pieces, dicing the stem as well
• 1 bunch of kale, stripped from the stem and sliced into thin strips
• 1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 veggie bouillon cubes (I prefer Rapunzel)
• Coconut Oil
• Optional: 1 cup of leftover Basmati rice, quinoa, or gluten free pasta

Prepare

Over medium heat, melt coconut oil in a pressure cooker or heavy soup pot. Add onions, as they soften sprinkle in spice mix or individual spices, mixing well. Toss in sweet pepper and cauliflower, stirring quite well to coat in oil and spices. Cover with water and cook until vegetables are fork tender yet still hold their shape. Add bouillon cubes, another two cups or so of water, kale strips and chickpeas. Cover, simmering another 10 minutes until kale is tender. If available add pre-cooked grain to each bowl and ladle soup over the top.

Enjoy!