This is one of my very favorite soups, perfect for a dark winter night. It’s full of healthy, fiber-filled vegetables and protein-rich beans. Normally I make this soup with diced Italian sausage but after my mother-in-law made it using Lightlife Gimme Lean Sausage, it’s become my new favorite way to make it. I finally wrote down my recipe to share with you all! There’s a method for a pressure cooker and a soup pot.
My favorite meals are often a soup and that is especially true when winter rolls around here in Alaska. Ever since soup has been my jam. I remember getting a ‘soup’ cookbook from my grandma when I was below double-digits in age. #thatishowmuchilovesoup My blood is basically soup and this is one of my most beloved.
There’s a lot of recipes online for this type of soup. Basically they all involve kale, beans, and sausage… but there’s not a lot of vegan recipes, though not to worry. I got you covered. I think you’ll for sure love this soup as much as my family does. I could eat this for weeks nonstop, seriously.
This is one of my very favorite soups, perfect for a dark winter night. It’s full of healthy, fiber-filled vegetables and protein-rich beans. Normally I make this soup with diced Italian sausage but after my mother-in-law made it using Lightlife Gimme Lean Sausage, it’s become my new favorite way to make it. I finally wrote down my recipe to share with you all! There’s a method for a pressure cooker and a soup pot.
Ingredients
1 tablespoons olive oil (optional)
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14 oz package Lightlife Gimme Lean Veggie Sausage
2 large carrots, diced
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
2 15 ounce cans white cannellini or white beans, drained and rinsed
8 cups vegetable broth
1 credit card size piece of kombu, broken into small pieces (optional)
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp liquid smoke
1 large bunch of kale, stems removed and chopped
Seasoning or table salt, to taste
Instructions
In a pressure cooker or large soup pot heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes, until fragrant and softened. Add the sausage and saute an additional 5-10 minutes until somewhat browned, breaking the it into small bite-sized pieces with a wooden spatula.
Increase the heat to high and stir in the remaining ingredients except for the kale.
Using a pressure cooker: Bring to a boil and pressure cook on high for one minute. Remove from heat and allow to depressurize naturally for 10 minutes, then run cold water over the lid to completely depressurize. Stir in kale and salt according to taste; serve hot.
Using a soup pot: Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes then remove from heat and stir in kale. Salt according to taste; serve hot.
Hallelujah, we are back! Transferring domains was rough stuff. Who knew it took 5-7 days by law. Whatever, it's in the past and I am so, so glad it's all behind me now (fingers crossed). I love my new home here at Squarespace! Let me know how you guys like the setup. Do you like the photo slider or no? I'd love to hear feedback!
And now, it's time for a bean recipe! As you know, it's my life's mission to incorporate more beans into my life...and what a way to do it. With a burger! A veggie burger that is. Oh yes, my friends.
I've been on a real burger kick lately. It's funny because I was never really into burgers before becoming vegan. I have a sneaking suspicion why though...methinks 'twas the decaying animal flesh. Hey, don't kill the messenger...that is what it is...
Anyway, you have nothing to fear my animal-loving compadres. My burgers are 100% vegan! These sweet potato, chickpea, and white bean veggie burgers brown up perfectly on the stove and are ready in a pinch! Filled with nutritious (and delicious) veggies, oats, herbs, and spices...what's to shy away from? Take a break from the bun-animal-bun combo and go with bun-veggie-bun instead! Also, freeze any leftovers for use later as a quick and nutritious meal! I love having them on hand.
Sweet Potato & Chickpea Burgers
Makes about 12 burgers
Flax Eggs:
3 Tbsp. ground flax seed
1/4 cup cold water
Veggies:
1 large sweet potato, sliced and steamed
1 15 oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can of white beans, drained and rinsed
Aromatics:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 red onion, diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. Italian herb seasoning
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. ground paprika
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/8-1/4 tsp. chipotle chili powder or cayenne pepper
Conclusion:
2 cups old-fashioned oats, dry
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
12 hamburger buns
Notes: If you have a large food processor (10 cup or larger), you might be able to fit all the ingredients into the bowl at once to process. I had to do mine in batches of different ingredients. I cooked up 12 patties and froze the leftovers in saran-wrap separately, then in a large plastic ziplock bag for later! These burgers probably do best on the stovetop as opposed to grilling. Adapted from Peas And Crayons.
Start by whisking the ground flax seed and the water together in a small bowl. Place in the fridge until ready for use.
Steam the sliced sweet potato for about 10 minutes, until fork tender. Remove and set aside. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and white beans and set aside.
In a large frying pan, heat the oil over medium-low. Add the aromatic ingredients and saute until fragrant and the bell pepper is browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, in a food processor pulse the dry oats until they are a bit finer in consistency. They don't need to be ground to a flour though. Transfer to a very large bowl.
Now, pulse the chickpeas and white beans until they are mashed, scraping down the sides as necessary. They don't need to be perfectly processed.
When the aromatics are done sauteing, add them to the processor along with the sweet potatoes and pulse as well. Transfer the mixture to the bowl with the oats.
Add the flax egg and the fresh parsley to the bowl and mix very well, with exceptionally clean hands. It's really the only way to do it. Place in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
After the mixture has rested, heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil in the large frying pan over medium. Form a veggie patty with your hands that's about the size of your palm. These won't shrink at all when cooked so form them exactly as you'd like them to be on your burger. Cook about 3 minutes on each side and repeat with remaining patties.
Serve hot on a hamburger bun with BBQ sauce or ketchup and arugula or spinach.
Cook as many as you'd like to fit in one pan. My pan held four at a time. I cooked the leftover patties and then froze them to use later!
"Mom! Dad! I will do ANYTHING for one of those burgers!!"
German Word of The Day
Concert --> Konzert (pronounced: con-zairt) - Go figure! Germans spell things to neatly.
Good Deed of The Day:
I know this is kind of a different action to have today, but my hope is that it brings awareness of the living conditions to meat-eaters. The fact that most animals need to be pumped full of antibiotics to even live and make it your a plate I hope be a little more noticeable when it's stamped on the goddamn package. Who knows. Maybe we'll all choose to not eat meat at all! We certainly don't need it! Sign this petition to have the USDA label animal flesh that has been treated with antibiotics.
What's better than a new recipe post? A new recipe post with a GIVEAWAY! Hooray! Are you as excited as me? I know giveaways are super dope and you can't wait, but first...a review and a recipe!
So, here's the story. In my omnivorous days I loved me some cheese. Big time. Blue cheese, brie cheese, parmesan cheese. All the cheeses. Oooo, gouda cheese! It's safe to say I had a thing for stinky cheeses, m'kay? As a vegan, I thought cheese was just one of those things I had to give up. Not so says Daiya, maker of delicious vegan mozzarella and cheddar cheese. I was thrilled to have both these lovely cheeses back in my life, and let me tell you I can pound some Daiya...that sounded better in my head...Anyways, I've been using nutritional yeast as a replacement for parmesan and have even seen a couple of recipes for homemade vegan parmesan floating around. But let's get real, I don't have time to make parmesan cheese right now. Maybe one day. One, glorious day...but not now.
And then, like a gift sent down from heaven, a cheerful yellow tub of vegan Parmela Parmesan Style Aged Nut Cheese arrived at my doorstep and all was well in the world. I was pumped, obviously but then I thought, "Could this really taste like my beloved, dearly departed parmesan cheese?" I couldn't wait to find out.
My friends, I want to stop and take this time to have a serious moment with you. Parmela's vegan parmesan cheese...it takes like actual, straight-up legit parmesan cheese. I would like to add that I AM NOT compensated for this review. I just really, really love it. If there was a blind taste test between the two, the only difference would be that the vegan cheese doesn't really melt. As for taste, it would honestly be very close. In truth, I had a hard time stopping myself from eating it all straight out of the little tub. Shameful.
Parmela Parmesan Style Aged Nut Cheese
What: Parmela Parmesan Style Aged Nut Cheese is a parmesean cheese replacer. It comes "grated" in a little tub and just use it anywhere that you'd use grated parmesan cheese. Parmela is a vegan fermented cheese made from almonds, cashews, nutritional yeast, soybeans and tamari. No dairy! I love that it's actually aged because many vegan parmesan cheese replacers are not, and they just don't seem replicate that unique parmesan taste. I actually asked Todd with excitement and wonderment after tasting it plain, "How do they do it?!" Magic. That's how. 1 tsp. contains 13 calories.
Why: Because parmesan cheese is freakin' delicious but it's not vegan and honestly it's not all that good for you no matter how amazingly tasty it is or what the National Dairy Council says. Did you know they use cheese mites and maggots to get that "aged nutty flavor" of some aged, hard cheeses. It's actually a proof of it's quality. I'm sorry, in case you missed that...mites and maggots may be in part what makes that hard cheese you're gnawing on so delicious. Maggots, people! While the maggot process may not be bad for your health, it certainly strengthens my decision that I don't need to be eating cheese anytime soon. I'll stick to Parmela instead. Also, all ingredients are GMO-free!
How: According to Parmela, "The formation of Parmela's authentic rich cheese flavor occurs during fermentation, which is also where the soy is broken down into a form that is more easily digested." No mites or maggots needed.
Cost: Online, Parmela retails for $3.50-3.99 for one 2.3 oz. tub.
Recurrence: No more plain nutritional yeast for me. When I need parmesan cheese, I'll reach for Parmela.
--- At the bottom of the page, enter the giveaway to win your own adorable tub of scrumptious Parmela! ---
To showcase the amazing power of Parmela I needed a most awesome recipe and this Cheesy Broccoli-White Bean Soup fit the bill perfectly. It's a wonderfully cheesy and creamy broccoli soup. Perfect for a night in.
1 head of broccoli, florets chopped and stems thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 15 oz. can white beans, drained and rinsed (I used Great Northern White Beans)
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. Parmela vegan parmesan cheese
splash of soy sauce
1 Tbsp. Parmela for sprinkling
fresh lemon thyme leaves, or herbs of choice for garnish (optional)
First, wash and chop the broccoli and steam it for about 5 minutes or until it's just softened and still brightly colored.
Dice the onions and mince the garlic. In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil with the turmeric and then add the diced onion. Saute for a few minutes or until tender, then add the minced garlic and saute a couple more minutes, until fragrant.
Next, add the rinsed white beans and the vegetable stock to the saucepan and bring to a simmer. Stir in the salt, pepper, 2 tsp. of Parmela and the soy sauce. Once it's reached a simmer remove it from the heat. Allow to cool slightly.
In a blender add all the steamed broccoli and then the contents from the saucepan. I did this slowly in one big batch while leaving the lid off the blender (I live on the edge). Alternatively, it can be done in batches, but whatever you do make sure to allow steam to escape or the top of the blender could blow off. No, this has never happened to me personally (maybe because I don't use lids), but I have read horror stories.
Garnish generously with more tasty Parmela and a sprinkling of fresh herbs. Voila! The taste of parmesan was never so good, or good for you.
Cheesy Broccoli-White Bean Soup and A GIVEAWAY!
Recipe Type: Soup
Author: Katie - Produce On Parade
Serves: 4
A wonderfully cheesy and creamy broccoli soup. Perfect for a night in.
Ingredients
1 head of broccoli, florets chopped and stems thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 15 oz. can white beans, drained and rinsed (I used Great Northern White Beans)
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. Parmela vegan parmesan cheese
splash of soy sauce
1 Tbsp. Parmela for sprinkling
fresh lemon thyme leaves (or herbs of choice) for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Steam the broccoli for about 5 minutes or until just soft and still brightly colored.
In a medium saucepan, heat the oil with the turmeric and then add onion. Saute for a few minutes then add minced garlic and saute until fragrant.
Next, add beans and stock to saucepot and bring to a simmer, stir in salt, pepper, 2 tsp. Parmela and soy sauce. Once at a simmer remove from heat.
Blend everything in a blender. Allow the steam to vent. Can be done in batches.
Garnish generously with more tasty Parmela and a sprinkling of fresh herbs.
3.2.1251
*This Giveaway Is Now Closed*
That's right folks, win your very own Parmela! Say it with me, "We love giveaways!" There are five different ways to enter, do all of them and you'll have five entries! Congrats to Jeanne! She is the winner of the Parmela Cheese giveaway!
*DISCLAIMER* PRODUCE ON PARADE IS A PERSONAL BLOG WRITTEN AND EDITED BY MYSELF AND TODD ONLY, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. OUR REVIEWS ARE COMPLETELY BASED ON OUR OWN OPINIONS OF THE PRODUCT REVIEWED. WE ARE NOT PAID TO WRITE POSTS. THIS PRODUCT WAS SUPPLIED TO US AS A GIFT BY THE COMPANY TO TEST AND REVIEW. OTHERWISE, IF WE MENTION A COMPANY BY NAME AND THERE IS NO DISCLAIMER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST, WE ARE MERELY WRITING ABOUT SOMETHING WE LIKE, PURCHASE AND/OR USE. THE FACT THAT WE DO RECEIVE A PRODUCT AS A GIFT TO TEST AND REVIEW, WILL NEVER POSITIVELY INFLUENCE THE CONTENT MADE IN OUR POST.
