Tag: spring

Peas and Thank You

Perhaps I jumped the gun a bit, but with such great temptation staring me straight in the eyes, my will to respect the seasons and their respective vegetative offerings was instantly reduced to zero. After a day of brilliant sunshine and even being able to leave my heavy winter coat at home, can you really blame me? I’m over winter, and considering the waning piles of dirty snow left on sidewalks, I think it’s finally starting to relinquish its icy grip, ever so slowly. Thus, when I saw those dazzling green pearls sitting alluringly in the refrigerated grocery case, shelled and ready to go, I snatched up that last parcel of fresh peas before anyone could talk me out of it. Enough beating around the bush- Let’s just get on with spring already.

To really honor such a lovely main ingredient, a brilliantly simple formula for pea soup sounded like just the thing to kick this season off right. Hardly even worthy of a written recipe, this is a dish that nonetheless is worth your attention, because it draws out the fresh, green flavor from each tender sphere, and allows them to shine. As a dish shared by Sue Cadwell, my boss, mentor, and best friend, I could hardly expect anything otherwise. A gentle swirl of vegan sour creme added the touch of richness I was craving, but it’s also perfectly delicious with a drizzle of olive oil to finish, or left entirely unadorned. If you wanted to liven things up, consider adding a splash of lemon juice, a pinch of smoked paprika, or a few springs of fresh mint, too.

Since shelling so many peas could be an endeavor requiring much more zen-like patience than the average person can manage, should shelled fresh peas be unavailable, go right ahead and substitute frozen. They’re just as tasty, if slightly less vibrant.

Yield: Makes Approximately 3 Quarts

Fresh Pea Soup

Fresh Pea Soup
No Ratings

A simple fresh pea soup that draws out the bright, green flavor from each tender sphere, and allows them to shine.

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 4 Cups Chopped Yellow Onions
  • 4 – 7 Cups Vegetable Broth
  • 2 Pound Fresh, Shelled Peas (or Frozen)
  • Salt, to Taste
  • Vegan Sour Creme

Instructions

  1. Coat the bottom of a large stock pot with the olive oil, and set over medium-low heat. Sauté the onions briefly, stirring well to coat with the oil, and add in 4 cups of the broth. Cover, and cook for approximately 20 minutes. You don’t want them to brown or caramelize at all, but cook down practically to mush. lid, cook until they’re mushy without browning.
  2. Rinse peas under hot water and thaw if frozen. Toss them into the pot of onions and stock, and cook gently for 5 – 10 minutes until tender, if using fresh. For frozen peas, immediately turn off the heat and don’t let them cook much at all. You want to preserve that brilliant green color, and they’ve already been blanched prior to freezing so they’re pre-cooked.
  3. Transfer the mixture to your blender and puree, adding more broth if desired until the soup reaches your ideal thickness. You may need to do this in batches, depending on the capacity of your blender. Add a pinch of salt and mix well. Top with “sour creme” to serve, if desired.

Notes

By Health in a Hurry Chef/Owner Sue Cadwell

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 85Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1607mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 2gSugar: 7gProtein: 3g
© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: American / Category: Soups and Stews

Hannah (BitterSweet)28 Comments

Just Chillin’

How typical; I find something I like, and I’m nothing short of obsessed. Now, while I had never had much of a penchant for chilled soups before, I’m suddenly overcome with the desire to whip up batch after batch of cool, savory blends. Rather than fight the urge, I’m riding this wave out, seeing where it might take me. So far, it’s been a rather delicious journey.

The myriad of new seasonal veggies have proven too tempting to leave at the market, and everything from the baby sprouts pushing through the dirt and the tiny buds developing on trees seems to scream “green!” to me, and so green has been the inspiration behind many recent meals. Although leafy greens would be a natural though, I decided to leave them for salads this time, and create a wholly different sort of green soup.

Avocados, peas, and roasted asparagus join forces in this emerald mix. Not entirely smooth but with a satisfying bit of texture, this refreshing soup is another utterly simple recipe, and should spring decide to pull another cold snap over us, could happily be warmed up if desired.

Yield: Makes about 6 Cups

Spring Green Soup

Spring Green Soup
No Ratings

Avocados, peas, and roasted asparagus join forces in this emerald mix. Not entirely smooth but with a satisfying bit of texture, this refreshing soup is another utterly simple recipe, and should spring decide to pull another cold snap over us, could happily be warmed up if desired.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 Pound Fresh Asparagus
  • 3 Medium Shallots
  • 3 Cloves Garlic
  • Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 3 Cups Water
  • 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 – 2 Tablespoons Braggs Liquid Aminos
  • 2 Cups Fresh or Frozen Green Peas
  • 1 Ripe Avocado
  • 2 Fresh or Dried and Re-Hydrated Shiitake Mushrooms
  • Handful Fresh Parsley (About 1/4 Cup)
  • Olive Oil for Garnish (Optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees, and line baking sheet with aluminum foil. Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus, and spread them out in an even layer on the baking sheet. Peel the garlic and shallots, and slice the shallots in half. Place them on the sheet as well. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with just a pinch of salt and pepper. Bake for 20 – 30 minutes, until the asparagus are bright green and tender. Let cool.
  2. To complete the soup, toss everything else into your blender, along with the asparagus, and allow it to spin until mostly smooth, but definitely not pureed. Chill briefly if necessary, and top individual servings with just a drizzle of olive oil if desired.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 159Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 73mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 7gSugar: 6gProtein: 6g
© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: American / Category: Soups and Stews

Hannah (BitterSweet)36 Comments

Semi-Official

So maybe I jumped the gun a little bit. Who could blame me for being excited about shaking off the winter blahs and getting on with the year?  After a long week of pounding rain, the snow has melted and temperatures are rising ever so slightly, adding fuel to my accelerated sense of time.  Despite common sense and the calendar’s conclusive decree, spring is the only season I can think of catering to now, and oh, the plans I have! 

Asparagus, ramps, fiddleheads, morels, all have a place on my menu, and eventually in my stomach, but for now remain a dream.  It’s still winter as far as my selection of produce is concerned, yielding slim pickings at best, but at least there is hope on the horizon- Little green sprouts are popping up in planters, and the first of the crocuses are lifting their sleepy heads from their multi-month naps.  Besides, daylight savings has brought sunshine back to the dinner table, relenting at last with that early, oppressive darkness.  That’s got to be at least a semi-official sign of spring, right?

I’m sure the last frost is yet to come, and perhaps another cold snap or two just to keep us on our toes, but I’m ready to throw off the sweaters and turn off that pot of stew, slip into something a bit more fresh. Let’s not get crazy here, this isn’t the time for chilled bean salads or anything of the sort, but more of a compromise, bridging the gap between these two competing seasons. By easing some new spring greenery into a more hearty dish, everyone wins.

An adaptation on the butternut risotto from Jae Steele’s Get it Ripe, which I loved so much, my new incarnation drops the heavy orange squash in favor of the rich flesh of an avocado, plus some pureed white beans to lighten things up. Asparagus, one of my favorite veggies of all time, makes a cameo appearance but doesn’t steal the show, the crisp yet tender stalks contrasting nicely to the creamy rice base, redolent in savory, almost cheesy flavor. Unnervingly green as it may be, thanks to that avocado, I think the color is just a cheerful reminder of the greenery to come.

Yield: Makes 4 - 6 Servings

Green Risotto Primavera

Green Risotto Primavera
No Ratings

Asparagus, the crisp yet tender, contrasts nicely to the creamy base of this risotto, redolent in savory, almost cheesy flavor. Green as it may be, thanks to that avocado, I think the color is just a cheerful reminder of the spring greenery to come.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 1 Medium Onion, Chopped
  • 1 1/2 Cups Arborio Rice
  • 4 Cups Vegetable Stock
  • 1/4 Cup Unsweetened Soymilk
  • 6 Cloves Roasted Garlic
  • 1 Cup Canellini Beans
  • 1 Ripe, Medium-Sized Avocado
  • 2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 2 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast
  • 1 – 2 Cups Chopped Asparagus, Fresh or Frozen
  • 1 – 2 Tablespoons Fresh Chopped Chives
  • 1 – 2 Tablespoons Fresh Chopped Parsley
  • 1 Teaspoon Fresh Chopped Thyme
  • Salt and Pepper, To Taste

Instructions

  1. Set a medium saucepan over a moderate flame, and coat the bottom of the pan with the oil. Once hot, add in the chopped onion, and saute for about 5 minutes, until softened and fragrant. Add the rice into the pan, and cook for another 5 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until the grains appear somewhat translucent.
  2. Combine the vegetable stock and soymilk together, and heat for a minute or two in the microwave to take the chill off, if they were previously refrigerated. Pour about 1/3 of it into the pan, just so that the rice is covered, and reduce the heat slightly so that it remains at a low simmer. Continue stirring every few minutes to make sure that nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  3. Once the rice absorbs that liquid and begins to look dry, add in another splash of the stock mixture, while stirring gently. Continue this pattern until about 2/3 of the stock is used. At that point, pour the remainder in, cover, and let simmer on the lowest heat setting for about 15 – 25 minutes, until the rice is done.
  4. Meanwhile, toss your roasted garlic, beans, avocado, lemon juice, and nutritional yeast into a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  5. Once the rice is cooked through, gently fold in the bean and avocado puree, stirring just until evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
  6. Add in the chopped asparagus, turn off the heat, and cover for about 5 minutes, to steam the veggies and let the risotto finish cooking.
  7. Finish by stirring in the fresh herbs, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 222Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 659mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 7gSugar: 6gProtein: 7g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimates.

© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: Italian / Category: Salads and Sides

 

Hannah (BitterSweet)40 Comments