This past Wednesday, it seemed that I was coming down with a bit of a cold/sore throat. I took a rest day and also simmered up a batch of: Curried Apple Soup.  By the next day, I was feeling much better and my sore throat had all but disappeared.

Is there anything more comforting than a hearty bowl of soup?

This recipe is also a great way to use up some of  the fall apple harvest. Tangy, colorful and satisfying. I’ve included the link to the original post  including the recipe and previous comments. Let me know if you give this one a try!

Happy Cooking!

…it’s a BLACK COAT/JACKET/SWEATER etc…????

I have yet to meet (or be owned) by any cat who doesn’t gravitate to black clothing.

Mr. Cheddar is no exception. He found the sun and my black cape yesterday when I came home, no problem! 

“Oh Meowmie, get a life!!!”

I am a big fan of tumeric. Read all about the healing and healthful properties of this spice, here and here (and a lot more sites online). With cold and flu season upon us, every little bit helps!

I hope you enjoy this tangy, colorful and delish veggie-lentil soup which is seasoned with tumeric. Let me know if you give this recipe a try (see next page).

Stay warm and healthy. And if you are ill right now, get well soon!

RED LENTIL-VEGGIE SOUP

Lentils add protein,texture and taste to this colorful,hearty soup. Serves 6.

1 C. uncooked small red lentils

2 T. vegetable or olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely minced (opt.)

3 medium carrots, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

5 C. vegetable soup stock

2-3 bay leaves (remove before serving soup)

¼- ½ teas. each sea salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste

1 teas. ground turmeric

2 T. apple cider vinegar

1-2 T. honey (to taste)

1-14 oz. can stewed tomatoes, with juice

Thoroughly rinse and drain lentils, set aside.

In a large soup/stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, carrots and celery and sauté for 5 minutes. Add soup stock, lentils, seasonings, vinegar, honey and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Adjust seasonings to taste. Remove bay leaves and serve.

Adapted from: Not Just for Vegetarians, Delicious Homestyle Cooking, the Meatless Way by Geraldine Hartman. All rights reserved.

Tangy and Terrific, Turtle Bean Soup

Nothing “hits the spot” on a cold Autumn or Winter day, like a steaming, hearty bowl of soup.

This is my interpretation of Black Bean soup and believe me, you won’t leave the table hungry after enjoying a bowl or two!  Great with your favorite cornbread as a side.

Let me know if you give this one a try. See recipe, next page.

Enjoy and stay warm!

Tangy and Terrific Turtle Bean Soup

(makes 4-6  generous servings)

3 T. olive oil

1 large sweet onion, diced

4-6 cloves of garlic, minced (to taste)

1/2-1 T. dried crushed oregano (to taste)

1/2-1 T. dried crushed thyme leaves (to taste)

1/2 T. crushed or ground cumin

1-2 tsp. chili powder (to taste)

1-2 tsp. Mrs. Dash or Spike seasoning blend

sea salt (opt.) to taste

1 small red and 1 small green pepper, diced

3 C. vegetable soup stock

28 oz. can stewed tomatoes

2 T. fresh lemon juice

2 1/2 C. precooked turtle/black beans

2 bay leaves

Optional garnish: regular or vegan sour cream

In a large stock pot, saute onion and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes. Add spices/herbs (except for bay leaves) and peppers and stir to distribute spices/herbs evenly.          

Add soup stock, tomatoes, lemon juice, beans and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours or until beans are very soft and soup is thick. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking.  Remove bay leaves before serving.                 

Serve with a dollop or regular or vegan sour cream.

Tangy and Terrific Turtle Bean Soup: (recipe and photo) © Geraldine H. Hartman.

I thought with the fall’s garden harvest in full swing, this might be a good time to share this carrot cake “keeper” again.

Yes, it really does taste as good as it looks.

Let me know if you give this cake (and hopefully my icing too) recipe a try. If you and your family like carrot cake, you are going to be loving this one, I’m sure!

As with most recipes, I did a bit of tweaking and in the case of the cake, made half the recipe (measures can be adjusted right on the Allrecipe site, I used 8 servings instead) and made the following easy but rich and creamy icing to finish the cake…

 Easy Cream Cheese Icing

1- 8 oz. block light cream cheese

3 Tbl. pineapple juice

1 Tbl. lemon juice and the zest of one lemon

4 Tbl. liquid honey (or a bit more, to taste)

coconut shreds and/or crushed pecans for topping .

Combine icing ingredients and allow to chill in refrigerator at least one hour to firm up. Ice cake and add desired toppings. Enough icing for an: 8 serving cake.

Adjust amounts if making a larger or smaller cake.

For the 8 serving size cake: I used an 8″ x 11″ pan and reduced baking time to 45 minutes.

Other changes: Omitted raisins used pecans instead of walnuts and reduced sugar in cake slightly, to taste.