Veggie Kale Soup w/ ‘Sausage’

The cinnamon and smoked paprika really give this hearty veggie soup a delicious, deep, and satisfying flavor. Cannellini beans and vegan sausage lend protein to help keep you full, while kale and an assortment of fresh vegetables make this a nutrient-dense meal. It’s a perfect weekday dinner and terrific, clean-eating comfort food.

It's been raining nonstop up here in our little nook of Alaska. I absolutely love it. The drizzle, the dumping, the fog and mist, the hugging darkness; everything. I've always loved the rain though. Our newly implemented lawn is loving it too and we just got gutters on the house last week, so huzzah, just in the knick of time. I wish I could say it helped me sleep a little better; listening to the pitter patter of fat raindrops as they fall on the roof above me. Along with the sun setting earlier too, about 11:40 pm (which I know... seems really late, but it's not 2 am so I'll take it), sleep should be coming easier but it still often eludes me.  

Speaking of 2 am... Oliver is starting to sleep in his crib better, at least until waking at 2 to 5 am, which lets me sleep in ANY POSITION I WANT TO!! Nursing mommas (especially any co-sleepers) know exactly what I am talking about. It's pretty much the most amazing thing I've ever felt; stretching out in bed however I like. Normally I'm wedged laying on one side, almost falling off the bed because Oliver keeps sliding into my body divot in the Tempurpedic mattress, thus I keep scooching backwards closer to the edge. One bleary peeper is permanently cracked to ensure the covers haven't covered Oliver's face or that he hasn't rolled onto his tummy or that he is still breathing, let's be real (the checking breathing thing is no joke). 

It's important to keep this sleep-deprived body filled with loads of yummy veggies and our CSA is fantastic, I am so glad we are able to get such wonderful produce. I confess, however, it can be a bit of struggle to finish a full share between just myself and that veggie ambivalent love of mine. I vacillate between making a super healthy dish (think roasted radishes) mostly for myself and one that I know Todd will love too, like this soup! Or a spinach quesadilla, etc. This is hands down my favorite kale soup ever and believe me, I've made many renditions. It's great comfort food and perfect, cozy, rainy-weather eats. Not to mention a great way to use that scrummy CSA kale. I hope you love it as much as we do!

Veggie Kale Soup w/ ‘Sausage’

By Kathleen Henry @ Produce On Parade

Published 07/03/2017

The cinnamon and smoked paprika really give this hearty veggie soup a delicious, deep, and satisfying flavor. Cannellini beans and vegan sausage lend protein to help keep you full, while kale and an assortment of fresh vegetables make this a nutrient-dense meal. It’s a perfect weekday dinner and terrific, clean-eating comfort food.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp vegan butter
• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium red potatoes (about 215 g), diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 large celery stalk, diced
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained
• 1 Field Roast Italian sausage link, diced
• 1 Field Roast Mexican Chipotle sausage link, diced (or another Italian link for no spiciness)
• 4 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dried thyme)
• 1 large bunch of kale (about 10 oz), destemmed and chopped

Instructions

1. In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the cinnamon and paprika. Add the onions and garlic; saute about 5 minutes, until fragrant.
2. Add the potatoes, carrot, and celery as you chop them. Saute for about 5 minutes after they are all in the pot, adding vegetable broth as needed to keep the pan from getting too dry. Pour in all the broth, tomatoes, and beans. Increase heat to high, bringing to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
3. Stir in the sausage and thyme. Simmer about 10 minutes, until the carrots and potatoes are tender. Stir in the kale and simmer about 2 minutes until wilted.
4. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste; serve hot.

Yield: 6

Sweet Potato, BBQ Black Bean & Kale Burgers

Today on Produce On Parade, we're shaking things up a bit! Todd is the very generous photographer for this post (excluding the final burger photos).  Woot, woot! It's always a good time in the kitchen when I have a helper on hand! Thanks, Todd, my love!  

I really adore veggie burgers. Homemade ones though. The store bought kind definitely pale in comparison with regards to flavor and nutrition, and they're definitely way, way more expensive than just makin' them yourself. Plus, you get to control what goes into them and the variations are endless! It really is a win, win, win...win! They might take a little longer than just buying them, but I assure you it's worth the little extra effort. Also, you can use up some veggies you need to get rid of!

There's always a bin of homemade vegan burgers in our freezer.  I like to bake mine, that way I can get them all done at once as opposed to frying them in batches, plus it's a bit healthier as well. I let them cool, then store them in an airtight container in the freezer. They're great if you're in a time-pinch or just don't feel like cooking. Microwave them for a minute or two, then just throw them on a salad (like me!) or on a burger and you're hot to tot!

And just incase you can't get enough veg burgers, there are photo links to many more at the bottom of this post! Huzzah!

“For what sort of dinner is not costly, for which a living creature loses its life?”

— Plutarch

Sweet Potato, BBQ Black Bean & Kale Burgers

These roasted vegan burgers are a snap to whip together and bake up quick in the oven for very tasty and healthy burgers that you can freeze for quick eats later. Adapted from "Let Them Eat Kale" by Julia Mueller.

Yield: 15 burgers

Ingredients

• 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 3 cups), diced
• drizzle of olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. ground flax seed
• ¼ cup + 2 Tbsp. cold water
• 1 cup dry quick rolled oats
• 1 Tbsp. paprika
• 1 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. chipotle chili powder (optional)
• ¼ tsp. ground turmeric
• dash of ground black pepper
• 2 14 oz. cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ red onion, diced
• 4 large kale leaves and stems, chopped finely
• 3 Tbsp. vegan barbecue sauce

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Wash and dice the sweet potatoes. Spread them on a large baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 400 F for 25 minutes, until fork tender. Keep the oven on when they are finished roasting.
2. Meanwhile, whisk the flaxseed and water together. Set in fridge to rest until ready to use.
3. In a food processor, process the oats until they are fine. Add in the spices and pulse to combine. Now, add the black beans and process until semi-chopped.
4. Transfer the mixture to a large electric mixing bowl and add the remaining ingredients, including the flax egg and the sweet potatoes, when done baking. Mix until the sweet potatoes are mashed and the mixture is well combined.
5. On the same oiled baking sheet used for the sweet potatoes, drop the burgers to bake. Form them as you’d like them to be when they are done baking as they will not change shape. The mixture should be enough for at least 15 burgers.
6. Bake at 400 F for about 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through. The bottom should be browned nicely. Serve hot with a bun and BBQ sauce, or over a salad like me!

We finally got some snow over the weekend! Bob loves the snow. Just like his momma. 

Can't get enough vegan burgers? I got more for ya' right here! No worries!

Dutch Word of The Day

Citizen --> burger (Yep, the word for citizen is burger in Dutch, while an actual food burger is just...hamburger...)

Good Deed of The Day

Um, this is terrifying. Women who have used the pill have a 40% increased risk for brain cancer and the risk increases the longer it's used. Oh goody. Read up on it here. Yikes! What's a girl to do?

Vegetable Protein Gyoza

“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do. ”

— Edward Everett Hale

Remember when I reviewed Julia Muller's new cookbook, Let Them Eat Kale, well there will be a giveaway at the bottom of this post! It's such a wonderful book, if you want to read my review of it please see this post and of course, enter the drawing below!

You guys are going to really want to make these. Homemade gyoza are astronomically tastier and healthier than their store-bought brethren. Plus, if you're vegan like me it can be difficult to find cruelty-free ones in the grocery store. 

My gyoza (aka pot sticker or wonton) might look a bit odd, and that's because I like to use red cabbage instead of green. However, green cabbage will work just fine too. These little guys pack a big protein punch thanks to TVP, which works beautifully because it soaks up all the saucy goodness and creates a perfect "meat-like" texture for the gyoza filling.

If you use a food processor to prepare the vegetables, this recipe will come together in a snap. I've included directions on how to steam or pan fry the little buggers (I like mine steamed) and also two different folding methods.

Yep, they're pretty darn foolproof. If you've never made them before, now's the perfect opportunity! Don't worry, I'll be your copilot. 

The best part about my recipe is that you'll have some filling leftover that can be frozen for quick gyoza prep when you get a mad hankering for them, like I often do. Also, the wrappers can be frozen too in case you only want to use half a package. 

Just look how awesome they are! I swear they're super duper easy to fold up. Here, I'll show you how to make a "nun's hat" gyoza. 

In case you a weird bias with regards to nuns, here's how to fold a simple, delicious little gyoza package.

See? I told you it was easy. Now go make some gyoza and impress your friends, family, and your tastebuds!

print recipe

Vegetable Protein Gyoza

by Katie @ Produce on Parade August-13-2014

A veggie filled gyoza that's also packed with protein, but vegan! Quick and easy with the help of a food processor. Steamed or pan-fried and two instructions on how to fold. Inspired by Half Baked Harvest.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
• ½ brown onion, minced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
• 1 lb. Crimini mushrooms, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, minced
• ½ head (10 oz.) red or green cabbage, minced
• ¼ cup liquid amino acids or soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. agave nectar or brown sugar
• 1 cup TVP (textured vegetable protein)
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
• 1 package of 40 wonton/gyoza/pot sticker wrappers
• ¼ cup mirin or rice wine vinegar
• ¼ cup liquid amino acids or soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. agave nectar or brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. sweet chili sauce
• 1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
• dash of sesame seeds

Instructions

I use a food processor to mince the vegetables. If you don’t have one, it’s a good idea to prep all the vegetables ahead of time. In a large frying pan, heat the sesame oil over medium. Add the onion and garlic. Sauté until the onions begin to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the ginger and mushrooms and continue to sauté until the mushrooms lose most their moisture, about 8-10 minutes. Then, add the bell pepper and cabbage. Continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes, until most of the water from the vegetables has evaporated. This will allow for concentrated flavors.Now add the soy sauce, agave nectar, and TVP. Stir well to combine and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, until the TVP has soaked up all the liquid and is tender. Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro. Set aside. In a small bowl add about ½ cup of cold water. To assemble the gyoza, lay a wrapper flat and with a finger, wet the bottom edge closest to you and up half the sides with the water. Place one heaping teaspoon of the filling into the lower middle portion of the wrapper and fold in half lengthwise, pressing all the sides together. Careful not to overfill. Fold in half lengthwise again and then wet the lower right corner and the left top corner. Bring the two together and press to connect. Set aside and repeat with remaining wrappers. Any leftover filling can be frozen for quick gyoza making later. Also, the wrappers can be frozen too. The assembled gyoza can be steamed or pan fried. I prefer mine steamed only, but if you want them pan fried there are instructions below as well.To steam: Prepare your steamer with a few inches of water. Line the steamer basket with parchment paper to fit and spray with a nonstick cooking spray for good measure. Once the water is ready, add as many gyozas as possible without them touching. Steam for about 5 minutes, remove from the steamer basket and repeat with remaining gyoza. To pan fry: Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over medium. Add as many gyoza as possible without them touching. Allow to brown for a minute or two, then add about ¼ cup of water and cover with a lid. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, until most of the water is evaporated. Gently remove from the pan and repeat with reaming gyoza.For the Sauce: Combine all the ingredients below the gyoza wrappers in a small bowl and whisk well.Serve hot with the dipping sauce. Enjoy!

Details

Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 50 mins Yield: 40 potstickers

German Word of The Day

Wonton --> Wan-Tan (vahn-tahn)

Good Deed of The Day

Do you know what a pangolin is? I didn't! Well, they are one of the cutest little creatures you've ever seen and are nearly extinct in the wild. However, in Vietnam and China, the animals are still considered a delicacy. Please help take pangolins off the menu by urging the Chinese and Vietnamese policymakers to stop standing by idly while the pangolin is hunted to extinction! 

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