Raw January Day 25 /26: Spicy Winter Veggie Soup

Mmmm....soup. I have to say, steamy soups and slow-stewed veggies are what I've missed the most during this experimental month. I mean, what was I thinking going raw in the month of January?

The good news is this has sparked my creativity more and forced me to come up with alternate ways to get that warm feeling in my belly. This soup is one of them. I had decided after butchering a kabocha square that came in my organic box that the silly thing wasn't worth it. There was a lot of hacking and chopping and at the end all I had was barely a cup of usable flesh. Originally this was going to be a squash/mango soup; however, I was discouraged. My eyes turned to the half a head of cauliflower, and I thought, "Why the hell not?" Into my dear, sweet Cuisinart it went with the rest of the ingredients I had assembled. A few taste-tests later, and

here you have it.

I imagine any winter squash would do....butternut comes to mind, of course. The heat from the serrano does a nice job of giving the feeling of warmth without over-powering the soup. I think this would also make a nice take on bruschetta (but hey, I think everything is better on bread!).

In other news, my new toy arrived today. I have two more nights at the job (and a desperate need to rearrange the kitchen) before I can use it, but needless to say I am very excited to set it up (right angles, people....right angles!).

Winter Veggie Soup

Ingredients:

1/2 kabocha squash, seeds removed, peeled, cut into 1" cubes (or about 1 cup of your favorite, easier to butcher squash)

1/2 cauliflower, cored, cut into 1" cubes

1 mango, peeled, core removed, cut into 1" cubes

1 serrano pepper, stem removed, seeds intact

8 fresh basil leaves

juice of 1/2 a lime

1/2 tbs dried lemongrass

1/4 tsp salt (adjust to taste)

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 tbs almond milk

Directions:

In a food processor, pulse the squash and cauliflower until the ingredients are finely chopped. Add remaining ingredients and process until puréed. The soup will have the consistency of cream of wheat cereal; if necessary add a tablespoon or so of water to achieve this texture (I didn't need it). Chill for at least two hours, then serve. Makes about eight 1-cup servings.

Tomato-Cauliflower Soup with Thai Flavors

'Tis the season....no, I'm not following the lead of certain radio stations and starting my caroling in November. The next line in this particular ditty would say something witty about soup, for that is what our new-found freezing temperatures has me in the mood for. Well, that and the (also new) sore throat....

This is a product of another fridge-busting attempt. It's easy, soothing, and satisfying. The cauliflower lends a creaminess and body to the soup, which was a nice surprise. I had my bowl with a grilled cheese sandwich that I also infused a bit o' the Thai into by rubbing the bread with garlic and lime, adding cilantro and garlic-chili sauce to the insides, and grilling in a mixture of coconut and sesame oils. Did I just create an Asian fusion comfort food? I think so!

Tomato-Cauliflower Soup with Thai Flavor

Ingredients:

2 tbs coconut oil

1 tbs coriander seeds

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tsp ginger, finely chopped

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 -28oz can crushed tomatoes with basil

1/2 head of cauliflower florets

2 tsp garlic-chili sauce (more or less, to adjust heat)

1 tsp agave nectar

3 c water

2 lime wedges

handful of fresh cilantro, chopped (if desired)

Directions:

In a large stock pot combine the oil and coriander. Heat over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Add the onions and cook another 5 minutes, or until onions are soft and translucent. Add the garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper; cook 3 more minutes. Transfer onion combination to a blender and pureé.

Return pureéd mixture to pot and add tomatoes, cauliflower, chili sauce, agave, and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low. Cover and allow to simmer until the cauliflower is soft, about 20 minutes. Add lime wedges and simmer 5 more minutes.

Remove from heat and discard the lime wedges. In batches, pureé the soup in a blender until the desired consistency is reached (I like to leave about one-fourth of the soup "as is" for a chunkier texture). Season with additional salt and black pepper and garnish with cilantro, if desired. Makes 6 servings.

Surf'n'Turf Lettuce Wraps with Raw Cauliflower "Couscous"

Here's a very customizable meal that can cater to a variety of tastes and diets. Being the omnivores that the spawn and I are, we went for surf'n'turf. This works as a raw omnivore diet if you

leave out the steak, or vegan raw if you omit the "food with a face" altogether. If you omit the steak, then you don't even have to heat up the kitchen--great for a humid summer day!

Steak, Shrimp, and Cauli Couscous Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

Steak:

1 tbs brown sugar

2 tbs tamari

2 tbs lime juice

1 small red chili, thinly sliced

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tbs peanut oil

1 lb steak

Shrimp:

1 clove garlic, minced

juice of 2 limes

juice of 1 lemon

1/4 tsp salt

1 lb raw shrimp

1 stalk green onion, finely chopped

Salsa:

1/2 zucchini, diced

6 cherry tomatoes, quartered

2 stalks green onion, thinly sliced

1/4 c red onion, diced

1 serrano pepper, finely diced (optional)

juice of 1 lime

1/4 tsp salt

cauliflower couscous (recipe below)

1 avocado, diced

1 head green lettuce, leaves separated

1 tbs fresh basil, finely chopped

1 tbs cilantro, finely chopped

lime wedges, if desired

Directions:

Steak:

Whisk together sugar, tamari, lime juice, chili, salt and pepper. Marinate steak in mixture 30 minutes, turning after 15 minutes.

Heat grill pan to medium-high. Add oil to pan, then grill steak to desired amount of doneness (about 3 minutes each side for medium-rare). Remove steak from heat and allow to rest 5 minutes. Slice into thin strips.

Shrimp:

Combine garlic, citrus juices, and salt. Marinate shrimp and onion in the citrus juice 4 hours.

Salsa:

Combine all ingredients, adjusting salt to taste.

Lettuce Wraps:

Arrange ingredients as desired in the center of a lettuce leaf, topping with herbs and additional lime juice. Wrap lettuce leaf around filling and enjoy.

Raw Cauliflower "Couscous"

Ingredients:

florets from 1 head of cauliflower

juice of 1 lime

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 c red onion, diced

1/2 tbs fresh ginger, grated

2 tbs cilantro, finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Pulse cauliflower in the food processor until pieces are the size of couscous. Add remaining ingredients and refrigerate 1-4 hours before serving. Makes 3-4 cups of couscous, depending on the size of the head of cauliflower.