A Reprieve from the Gluttony

I can't believe it, I actually forgot my camera on Thanksgiving (we gathered at my parent's home). I made a seitan-tofu turkey roast thing that was a conglomeration of several recipes, however it needs some work before I post it. B did get some good pictures of it on his new iphone, so as soon as he sends me those I'll do a Thanksgiving recap post, including a couple recipes.

In the meantime, this is a yummy soup that is a great one-pot meal (for a nice change of pace after copious holiday dishes), healthy (high-fiber, low-fat), and will fill you up without weighing you down. It has pleasant flavor but the spice is fairly restrained, also a nice break from the usual holiday fare. 

C-Cubed Soup

Serves 4-6. I used homemade veg stock, home cooked chickpeas (so. much. better.), Swiss chard from the garden, and onions and potatoes from the CSA, making this very economical as well. Feel free to use canned stock and chickpeas if that is what you have. Also, you can swap out whatever green you have on hand for the Swiss chard.

1 tbsp olive oil

2 small or 1 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minces/pressed

1/4 cup dry white wine

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground coriander (fresh ground is best)

2 small or one large russet potato, peeled and diced small

3 medium red potatoes, diced (not peeled)

2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained

2 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup water (optional)

2-4 tbsp nut cream (optional, for richness, more on this tomorrow)

1/2 lb Swiss chard leaves, chopped (that's a guess. I used 3 huge leaves from my garden, probably more like one bunch for "normal" size)

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute until onions soften and some fond develops, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add cumin and coriander and stir to coat. Add white wine and scrape fond off bottom of pot. 

Add veg stock and potatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes. Add chickpeas and cook 5 minutes more. Add cornstarch slurry and/or nut cream, if using, and bring back to a bubble. Cook 1-2 minutes until soup has thickened slightly. Turn off the heat and stir in Swiss chard. Stir to fully incorporated chard, and give it a chance to wilt. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve warm.