The Smiling Onion

Vegetarian and Gluten-free Cooking

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Kabocha & Tofu Stew

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You know what sounds better than braving the New York restaurant scene on Valentine’s Day? Staying in and eating comfort food. And yes, I know that sometimes means nachos or fries or pizza, but with the crazy January we’ve had here in the U.S., I’ve been craving something a bit more nourishing.

After all, Valentine’s Day is about taking time out to appreciate those you love and giving them a little extra care and attention. That could be friends, a partner/partners, or even yourself. So in my book, cooking a nourishing (and incredibly tasty) meal is a great way to celebrate. And if you want to break out the ice-cream or alcohol later in the night, I won’t judge.

This stew will make your apartment smell insanely amazing. First, we fry some tofu with chives and ginger (a meal in itself!), then it gets simmered with kabocha, tamari, thyme, and cumin. Finally, we fold in some kale, add some more seasoning, and pop in some kabocha chunks to bite into (the first ones become part of the stewy sauce!). The result is a velvety, umami-laden sauce with a nice gingery punch, chunks of nutty kabocha and meaty tofu sprinkled throughout, and beautiful, tender greens to add to the love. Serve it with your favorite grain, or enjoy it on its own.

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Cold Cucumber Soup

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My goal was to get at least one summer post out before September. I failed, of course. But at least it’s still summer for another eighteen days. I’m gonna call that a win.

If the humidity is getting to you, I highly suggest this cucumber soup. It hits all the right notes: fresh, sweet, tangy, spicy, nutty, and creamy. If you’re a fan of the green chutney often served in Indian restaurants, you’ll love this. The flavor profile is quite similar…but presented in a less intense, drinkable form, with some gazpacho-y notes thrown in. In fact, I guess you could say this soup is kind of a cross between gazpacho and green chutney. Except that doesn’t sound very good. And it’s actually incredibly delicious! Oh, and also there’s no mint.  Hm. I may be a bit out of practice with this whole blogging thing. Let me just get right to the point: Make. This. Soup.

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Miso Egg Drop Soup

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This miso egg drop soup is simple to prepare, nourishing, and delicious. At the risk of angering the FDA with these statements (haha), I 100 percent guarantee that it can help you survive the polar vortex, recover from copious amounts of baking (see last week’s post), or fight off the sniffles.

Let’s take a closer look at why:

Kombu & Nori:  Seaweeds are some of the most underrated “superfoods” there are. They are rich in minerals – especially calcium and iodine – and alkalizing to the body, which means they are a great antidote to too much sugar, which is acid-forming. Kombu is also fantastic for digestion.

Miso:  Also alkaline, miso contains beneficial bacteria that can help fight off illness.

Egg:  Eggs are the most bioavailable form of vegetarian protein that exists, meaning they contain protein that is easy for our bodies to metabolize and use.

Carrot:  Rich in minerals and fiber, and – of course – good for the eyes!

So, ready to fuel up for this polar vortex? Let’s do it!

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White Gazpacho

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Have you ever tried ajo blanco? Popular in Spain, it’s a white gazpacho made with blanched almonds and lots of garlic, thickened with bread. Even though I visited Spain before going gluten-free, I sadly never came across it.

If I had, I would probably be better able to describe to you whether my pecan gazpacho is indeed similar to ajo blanco. I can venture a guess that it is – it’s creamy, nutty, tart, and refreshing – and certainly resembles that classic Spanish white gazpacho visually. But there are several differences between this recipe and a traditional ajo blanco, which I’ll enumerate for my fellow cooking nerds below. For the rest of you, all you need to know is that this pecan-based version of white gazpacho is one of the best cold soups I’ve ever had.

So, how does this recipe differ from a traditional Spanish white gazpacho? Well, as I alluded to above, I’ve used pecans instead of almonds, soaked overnight for a smooth texture. Additionally, while ajo blanco does often feature green grapes, they aren’t typically blended into the soup, like I do here. Finally, there’s no bread at all in my recipe (don’t worry, the soup is still the proper texture without it!), I’ve used garlic-infused oil instead of raw garlic, and I’ve added a secret ingredient to top it all off: fennel. Blending in some fennel bulb with the pecans and grapes really creates a luscious, complex flavor that you probably won’t even be able to place right away. You’ll just know that you want to keep eating it.

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Creamy Carrot Soup

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I first made a version of this carrot soup on a cold, blustery “spring” day just like today, when all I wanted to do was curl up under a blanket and eat something comforting. It came out so flavorful that I forgot about the weather altogether. In fact, I had to abandon my original plan of a carrot-cheddar chowder because the soup tasted awesome and I hadn’t even added the cheese yet.

Despite the absence of cheese, the “finishing cream,” as I’ve termed it, gives this soup a cheesy flavor. It’s rich and luscious, with the bright savory notes of dill, chives, and thyme complimenting the sweetness of the carrots perfectly. A couple spoonfuls of this could do wonders for a mac & cheese (I’ve got comfort food on the brain) or any type of grain-based casserole. That’s if you have any left over, of course. I served it with some smoky tempeh strips and sautéed swiss chard for a very satisfying lunch, and we ate the whole pot.

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Peach & Berry Fruit Soup with Amarula

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You wouldn’t know it from the weather in New York, but Fall is coming. Pumpkin muffin recipes are already starting to pop up on blogs and social media, and Starbucks has rolled out their pumpkin flavored “seasonal” drinks. But guys, it’s still summer! Why are the trends always so ahead of the season? I don’t know about you, but if I start indulging in all-things-pumpkin now, I’m going to be damn sick of the stuff by the time Fall actually rolls around. I mean … it was 90 degrees yesterday. Do you really want to sip on a hot pumpkin latte?

I know I didn’t. But what I did want to do was enjoy a nice, cold, refreshing bowl of summer fruit soup. Because summer is ending soon, and the window for finding local, in-season peaches and berries is rapidly closing.

Hence this recipe. Raspberries and blueberries are blended with peaches, sour cream, just a bit of sugar, and an incredible South African fruit liqueur that you can sub out with your liqueur of choice if you can’t get your hands on it. Then, you stir in some whole berries – which have been tossed with a bit of vanilla and nutmeg – to really kick it up a notch.  Easy, refreshing, and delicious!

Oh – but dare I forget to mention the crispy mint leaves on top? Yes – once you learn how to make these, you’ll be putting them on everything. Trust me.

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Warming Spiced Lentil Soup

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There is something so incredibly nourishing about a nice, warm, hearty bowl of soup. And the aroma that fills the kitchen while it’s gently simmering on the stove is second to none. In fact, this particular soup smelled so good that I was reminded of the children’s story The Tale of Despereaux, which is set in a kingdom that holds soup in such high esteem that they have a holiday devoted to it every year! (That is, until a visiting rat is so entranced by the aroma of the Queen’s soup that he accidentally falls into her bowl, causing her to die of shock, which in turn causes soup to be outlawed in the kingdom!) Horrible, right? And what’s with rats being foodies in children’s stories, btw? (I recently rewatched Ratatouille.)

Anyway, I’m not going to ruin the book for you, but suffice it to say that the kingdom had it right: soup is so good that we really should have a holiday devoted to it. And if it were ever outlawed, I would totally join in on the illegal soup making that happens in The Tale of Despereaux. (Yes, there is illegal soup making … because soup is just that good!)

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Hot and Sour Noodle Soup

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Thanksgiving has come and gone, and with it, my capacity to eat heavily, heartily, and indulgently. Luckily, that ability lasted just long enough to use up all the delicious Thanksgiving leftovers. But Friday’s pie for breakfast and let’s-eat-every-hour-because-we-can mentality has left me craving something nourishing, cleansing, and light. Something to banish the sluggishness that comes from two straight days of overindulgence.

This hot and sour noodle soup is the perfect antidote to the Thanksgiving hangover. I’ve never been one for wavering between indulgence and deprivation (I think that’s pretty silly) so this soup is in no way deprivation food. It’s deeply flavorful, and provides everything your palate could want – saltiness, sourness, sweetness, crunch – it’s all there.

And it’s there with a nourishing quality that is most welcome right now.

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Rustic Lentil Stew with Balsamic and Olives

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Maybe I’m just lazy, but I think the bears have it right: when fall rolls around, my first inclination is to start gathering as much energy as I can and preserve the hell out of it. This means that lately I’ve been craving nourishing, warming, simple meals. Meals that quickly restore lost energy and don’t make you use that newfound energy to clean dreaded piles of dishes and appliances. (Seriously – I can’t tell you how many times I’ve adjusted my dinner plans just because I didn’t feel like dirtying the blender.)  So one-pot meals are my friend, right now. Especially when those meals are super rich in iron, protein, and fiber, and make me feel like I’m wrapped in a nice, fuzzy, blanket. (Okay, I may have eaten this while wrapped in an actual blanket…)

But seriously, this stew is comfort food at its best. A simple, protein-packed, one-pot wonder. It’s delicious by itself, and even better accompanied by a nice crusty hunk of gluten-free French bread.  Better yet, it’s super cheap to make and uses simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand. Instead of requiring vegetable broth (for me, the one ingredient I never seem to have in my pantry/fridge when I want to make stews) this dish creates its own umami-laden broth by marrying the sharp saltiness of the olives with the subtle sweetness of the balsamic.

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Cold n’ Creamy Cauliflower Soup

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I love cold soups in the summer! I especially love the voluptuousness of silky, creamy, cold soups. Surprisingly, however, I’m not a huge fan of actually using heavy cream to make those soups creamy. While I’m far from lactose intolerant, my stomach is not super happy with me when I drink milk or eat foods with a lot of heavy cream in them. But aside from the lactose consideration, I also actually prefer the taste of a vegan creamy soup to a dairy-laden creamy soup. I’ve found that without the heaviness of the cream, the flavors really have  a chance to shine through.

This creamy cauliflower soup is no exception. When I first made this, I was genuinely shocked by how flavorful it was. I’ve always thought of cauliflower as enjoyable to a point, if a tad bland. It’s never been one of my favorite vegetables. However, after roasting and creamifying it, I began to see it in a whole new light. Cauliflower was born to star in soups like this.

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