‘Tis the Season to Slurp Soup!

Bright, colorful leaves; the crisp, fresh air; cooler temperatures -- all these changes bring a huge smile to my face! My favorite season is here! Autumn is finally here! Warm blankets come out of hiding. Cozy sweaters, fun hats, and fashionable scarves are now a part of my wardrobe again. And even more important than fall fashion is -- you guessed it -- the FOOD!

Comfort food is my kind of cuisine: any food that gives a feeling of well-being and happiness and is usually associated with home cooking. One type of comfort food that warms me up from the inside and brings me much happiness is soup. The sheer variety of yummy soups just brings me thoughts of pure, mouthwatering joy!

Soups are a comfort food that can be super healthy and a filling meal by themselves or can always be paired with another dish. A soup does not have to take too many ingredients to make and can be made in large quantities to be frozen for a quick dinner another day. Often times, I freeze homemade soups in single serving containers so that on days that I don't feel well, I can just defrost it and have a healthy, hearty, homemade meal. I love the fact that there are numerous vegetarian options as well as carnivorous alternatives.

One of the things I love to do in my kitchen is to create a kind of fusion cuisine when it comes to soup. Black lentil soup – adding a dash of Indian Garam masala (a blend of roasted and ground spices from your local Indian grocery store) will enhance the taste of this hearty soup. A little pinch of turmeric will not only make the color of pink lentil soup enticing, but may have health benefits as well. I add a little hot sauce and red chili pepper flakes to my corn chowder to spice it up a little (or a lot). My potato soup has garbanzo beans (chick peas) as a good source of protein and fiber and my secret ingredient (revealed in my mom's recipe below) adds a very different flavor that is not found in most other soups. Another hearty soup that I usually make on days when I am pressed for time is a vegetable noodle soup. I use ingredients that I have on hand so this soup comes out a bit different every time although the base is the same.

The recipes that I often use in my home are listed below. In addition to these recipes, check out some of these wonderful, warm-you-up-from-the-inside-out, recipe books available at the Mercer County Library System!

Give them a try this fall. After all, ‘tis the season to slurp soup!

Black Lentil Soup

1 cup of black lentils (washed thoroughly and soaked for an hour)
Salt, to taste
A pinch of turmeric
A pinch of red chili powder
A pinch of ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of garam masala
1 tablespoon oil
Half of a small onion, thinly sliced
Chopped coriander leaves for garnish (optional)

In a deep pot, add oil and stir fry the onions until translucent. Add the drained, soaked lentils, all the spices and 2 cups of water. Cook on medium until lentils are soft. If more liquid is needed, add water a little bit at a time. I use an immersion blender to blend the softened lentils to my desired look and texture. I do not blend it completely smooth because I prefer the look of some whole lentils in this thick soup. After dishing it out in a bowl, garnish with chopped coriander leaves for some freshness. Some plain pita chips on the side make it a perfect meal on cold evenings. As an alternative, a scoop of cooked rice in the center makes this a more filling dinner.

Pink Lentil Soup

2 cups of pink lentils (washed thoroughly and soaked for an hour)
Salt, to taste
A pinch of turmeric
A pinch of red chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons oil
Half of a medium onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds (optional)

In a deep pot, add oil, cumin seeds and onions. Stir fry the onions until translucent. Add the minced garlic. Stir until fragrant. Do not cook too long. Raw garlic, when it burns, ruins the entire dish. Add the drained, soaked lentils, all the spices and 2 cups of water into the pot. Cook on medium heat until the lentils are soft. If more liquid is needed, add water a little bit at a time. I use an immersion blender to blend this soup until it is silky smooth in texture. A little sprig of coriander for garnish makes this delectable soup look fancy when served. Garlic Parmesan pita chips on the side complement the subtle flavor of garlic in this light, healthy soup.

Corn Chowder

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 large onion, dice into 1/4-inch pieces
1 tablespoon flour
3 cups vegetable broth
1 russet potato, dice into 1/4-inch pieces
2 cups frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup diced (1/4 inch) red bell pepper and green bell pepper
Salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
A big pinch of red chili pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup evaporated milk
1 ripe plum tomato, seeded and cut into thin slivers for garnish (optional)
Basil leaves or fresh coriander leaves for garnish

In a deep pot, add oil and butter on medium heat. When it heats up, add the chopped onions and cook until translucent. Add in the flour and stir for a minute or two. Add the vegetable broth and the potato. Cook until the potato is tender. Add the corn, the red and green bell peppers, salt, pepper, garlic powder and chili flakes. Next, add the evaporated milk. Let it cook over medium/low heat for about 10-12 minutes while stirring. When serving, add a dash of your favorite hot sauce after dishing out into bowl and top with slivers of tomato and basil leaves or coriander leaves for garnish.

Potato Garbanzo Bean Soup

1 small can (15 ounces) Garbanzo Beans (also called chick peas)
2 peeled medium sized potatoes, cubed
1/2 onion, finely chopped
Salt, to taste
Red chili pepper flakes
A big pinch of ground cumin
Secret Ingredient: a pinch of kalonji (also called nigella seeds) - this is found in all Indian Grocery stores or online and has numerous health benefits

In a deep pot, add 4 cups of water, the nigella seeds, red chili pepper flakes, ground cumin and turmeric along with the chopped onion. Let it come to a rolling boil. Add in the potato cubes, drained garbanzo beans and salt. Let it cook on medium heat for about 10-15 minutes. When the potatoes are soft, I use a potato masher to roughly mash the mixture. I tend to like it thicker and chunkier because in my home, it is eaten with a deep-fried flatbread called a poori on the side. This recipe uses no oil and is full of bold flavor. Pita chips would also be a good alternative and would provide a crunchy texture to this dish.