Serves 1 | Have a sweet potato? Then you have lunch—or dinner—in under 10 minutes!
1 c vegetable broth
2 c diced sweet potato, skins removed
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp minced fresh ginger
salt and pepper, to taste
CHEF’S NOTE: Add leftover cooked barley or wild rice to the soup for a fuller meal.
Put all ingredients into a medium pot and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until sweet potatoes are fork-tender, about 5 minutes.
Pour everything into a blender and whiz until smooth, or you can leave some of it chunky.
Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.
CHEF’S NOTE: This soup comes out a little gingery. Scale back the ginger to 11⁄2 tsp if you want a more mellow soup and be careful when doubling the soup.
CHEF’S NOTE: If you have a high-performance blender that heats, such as a BlendTech or Vita-Mix, you can place all contents in the blender and blend until its warm (don’t even bother mincing the ginger or garlic).
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION 
383 Calories, 0.9g Fat, 87.6g Carbohydrates, 13.9g Fiber, 26.1g Sugars, 8.7g Protein
Serves 1 | I love cauliflower and I love cauliflower soup. The only problem I have is that cauliflower, although tasty, is usually pretty boring on its own. Here I’ve added Cajun Seasoning and a hint of smoke to make cauliflower soup more flavorful and a little edgy.
1 head cauliflower, chopped into florets
1 c nondairy milk
1⁄2 tsp Cajun Seasoning
1⁄4 tsp onion powder (granulated)
1⁄2 tsp garlic powder (granulated)
dash of paprika
1⁄8 tsp liquid smoke
pinch of salt
juice of 1 lemon wedge
black or white pepper, to taste (optional)
Line a large pot with a thin layer of water and bring to a boil.
Add cauliflower, turn heat down to low, cover, and steam until cauliflower is very soft and tender, almost falling apart, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine nondairy milk, seasonings, a few drops of liquid smoke, salt, and lemon juice in your blender. Whiz for a few seconds so everything incorporates.
Add cooked cauliflower, in batches if necessary, and puree until silky and creamy, adding more nondairy milk if necessary. You want the consistency to be a thick, creamy soup or a runny gravy.
Pour soup into a small pot and heat gently over medium heat.
Taste, adding more Cajun Seasoning or liquid smoke if desired. Also add more salt, plus black or white pepper, if desired.
Once warm, cover and let sit for a few minutes, allowing the flavors to merge. Garnish with a dash of Cajun Seasoning.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION 157 Calories, 0.5g Fat, 27.8g Carbohydrates, 6.9g Fiber, 19.4g Sugars, 13.9g Protein
Serves 1 | I often call this “feel-better soup” because it’s the one soup I yearn for when I’m sick. You can also extend the servings by cleaning out your fridge. Try adding greens, leftover noodles or rice, cubed tofu, etc. I also like to add 1 teaspoon of minced fresh ginger for variety.
3 green onions
2 c water
1 c sliced shiitake mushrooms
tiny pinch of red pepper flakes
1 tbsp yellow miso
low-sodium soy sauce (optional)
kelp (optional)
CHEF’S NOTE: If you use dried shiitake mushrooms, you’ll need to rehydrate them in hot water first. Save the water for the broth, but be sure to strain it first to remove the grit. Approximately 1⁄2 cup of dried shiitakes equals 1 cup fresh mushrooms.
Cut off the rooty bottom of the green onions and discard. Then slice the white and light green parts of the green onions, and set aside.
Line a medium pot with a thin layer of water.
Add mushrooms and sauté over high heat until the mushrooms start to soften.
Add the red pepper flakes and 1 tablespoon of miso and cook for a few seconds, stirring to combine the miso with the water and prevent clumps.
Add onions and remaining water and bring to a near-boil.
Once soup is about to start boiling, reduce heat to low.
Taste, adding more miso as desired (I usually add a total of 21⁄2 tablespoons, but all misos are different). Since some misos are less salty than others, you may need to add a splash of low-sodium soy sauce, too. If you like your miso soup to have a fish flavor (as it’s traditionally served at restaurants), add kelp to taste.
Add any other ingredients you’d like and continue to simmer until everything is cooked and warm.
Turn off heat and let rest for 5 minutes, giving the flavors a chance to enhance.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION 128 Calories, 1.5g Fat, 28g Carbohydrates, 5.2g Fiber, 7.4g Sugars, 5.1g Protein
Serves 4 | I’ve been making this soup for as long as I can remember. Since it costs less than $1 per serving, it was a staple for me during college and law school when I was broke. I still love this soup, however, and make it anytime my fridge and pantry are looking pretty bare.
1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 c salsa
11⁄2 c vegetable broth
1⁄2 tsp ground cumin
1 c frozen corn, thawed
dash of hot sauce
corn chips
CHEF’S NOTE: Traditional, tomato-based salsas work best in this recipe.
Place 1 cup beans, salsa, broth, and cumin in a blender, and puree until smooth.
Transfer to a saucepan and add remaining beans, corn, and hot sauce to taste.
Stir to combine and heat thoroughly over low heat.
Once warm, serve, garnished with broken corn chips over the top. Freshly chopped cilantro and a dollop of Sour Cream or vegan yogurt also make a nice garnish.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (WITHOUT CHIPS) 133 Calories, 0.6g Fat, 23.8g Carbohydrates, 4.6g Fiber, 3.2g Sugars, 6.4g Protein
Serves 4 | Straight out of the pantry and into a bowl! I developed this flavorful soup a few years ago during one of my “pantry challenges.” Periodically, I force myself to cook only with items found in my pantry to remind myself that a delicious and satisfying meal is always on hand, even when the fridge looks bare. (Plus it helps keep the stockpiling at bay!)
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 c vegetable broth
1⁄2 c red lentils
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
1 large carrot, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground ginger
1⁄2 tsp ground cumin
1⁄2 tsp ground cinnamon
1⁄2 tsp mild curry powder
salt, to taste
Line a medium pot with a thin layer of water and sauté onion and garlic over high heat until the water has absorbed.
Add remaining ingredients in order, except the salt.
Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes or until lentils are cooked (they will expand and turn orange in color).
Add salt to taste.
Transfer half of the soup to a blender and puree until smooth, then mix it back in with remaining soup (or lightly use an immersion blender).
Cover and leave on the warm stove for 5 to 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to merge.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (1 C) 128 Calories, 0.5g Fat, 24.4g Carbohydrates, 10.4g Fiber, 5.5g Sugars, 7.7g Protein
Serves 8 | This is a terrific end-of-the-week recipe when you need to clean out your fridge before the next shopping trip, because you could really add anything to it. It also has that slowly-simmered-all-day taste even though it comes together quickly. I typically use carrots, zucchini, and yellow squash, but use whatever you have on hand.
1 small onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 c sliced/chopped vegetables
red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
2 c vegetable broth
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
1 15-oz can white beans (optional)
salt and pepper, to taste
Line a large pot with a thin layer of water and sauté onion, garlic, and a pinch of red pepper flakes (if using) for a minute.
Add Italian seasoning and continue to cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add all remaining ingredients, including choice vegetables, except beans, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine.
Bring to a boil then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 10 to 20 minutes.
Add beans, if using, cooked rice, or pasta (see Chef’s Note), and continue to cook until thoroughly warm.
Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.
CHEF’S NOTE: Fire-roasted tomatoes are especially good here, and feel free to substitute leftover cooked pasta or rice for the optional beans—or use all three!
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (1 C; JUST VEGETABLES, WITHOUT RICE, BEANS, OR PASTA) 60 Calories, 0.9g Fat, 11.5g Carbohydrates, 4.7g Fiber, 3g Sugars, 2.3g Protein
Serves 2 | This aromatic stew is a signature dish in Ghana. It’s everything I love about African cuisine: a few simple ingredients blended together to make a complex, satisfying, and delicious meal. Traditionally, it’s served with fried plantains, but I’m using fried bananas here for convenience. I know banana with tomato stew sounds a tad weird, but trust me—the bananas really make this dish!
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained, divided
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1 small red onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
few dashes of paprika
1⁄4 tsp cayenne powder
1 15-oz can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper, to taste
cooked brown rice, as desired
CHEF’S NOTE: Use a low-sodium or no-salt-added vegetable bouillon cube.
Blend half of the diced tomatoes with the bouillon in a blender until more like crushed tomatoes, but not totally pureed, and set aside.
Line a large pot with a thin layer of water and sauté onion, garlic, and ginger over high heat until soft and lighter in color, about 2 minutes.
Add paprika and cayenne powder, stirring to coat.
Reduce heat to low and add all tomatoes.
Heat for a few minutes, stirring with a spatula to combine everything.
Add beans and stir to combine again.
Cover and cook (still on low) for 5 to 10 minutes, until the beans are warm.
Taste, adding more cayenne powder to your preference and season with salt and pepper. If your tomatoes are still too acidic, add a drop of agave nectar or pinch of sugar.
Serve over brown rice with a side of fried bananas.
WITHOUT RICE OR BANANAS 221 Calories, 2g Fat, 42.7g Carbohydrates, 10.7g Fiber, 9.9g Sugars, 12.6g Protein
WITH BANANAS; WITHOUT RICE 342 Calories, 2.5g Fat, 73.8g Carbohydrates, 14.3g Fiber, 26.5g Sugars, 14.1g Protein
Serves 4 | I love this Ethiopian stew because it tastes like it was slowly roasted and simmered all day, but actually comes together in about 20 minutes.
1 small red onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced
2 to 4 tsp Berberé (Berberé)
pinch of cardamom (optional)
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
2 c vegetable broth, divided
1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1⁄2 c chickpea flour
salt and pepper, to taste
CHEF’S NOTE: If using commercial berberé, you might want to start with 1 teaspoon. Some brands are explosive in terms of hot spices.
Line a large pot with a thin layer of water and sauté onion, garlic, and ginger over high heat until fragrant and onion is soft, about 2 minutes.
Stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons of Berberé and a pinch of cardamom, coating everything well, then add tomato sauce, 11⁄2 cups of broth, and chickpeas.
Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer.
Meanwhile, heat a skillet. You’ll know it’s ready when a drop of water fizzles.
Add chickpea flour and, stirring constantly, continue to cook over medium heat until fragrant and toasty. The flour will turn a dark golden and then light brown. Be careful not to burn it. If you burn a little, that’s fine, but you do not want a lot of dark brown or black pieces.
Stir the remaining 1⁄2 cup of broth (cold is best) into the toasted chickpea flour and then whisk mixture in with the soup.
Stir to fully incorporate and continue to cook on low for 5 minutes.
Taste, adding more Berberé if desired, and season with salt and pepper.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION 256 Calories, 3.1g Fat, 47.6g Carbohydrates, 10.6g Fiber, 7.5g Sugars, 11.4g Protein
Serves 4 | My friend Bethany lived in Uganda for a while and brought an amazing recipe for g-nut stew (also called Malakwang) back with her. Peanuts, which are called g-nuts (short for “ground nuts”), are used in many local dishes there and add a nice, creamy element and complex flavor. I’m calling this recipe “cheater” because it uses peanut butter (and is not fat-free) and also because it simplifies the traditional recipe.
1 c vegetable broth
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
21⁄2 tbsp smooth peanut butter
1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 c baby spinach (or any greens you like)
CHEF’S NOTE: In Uganda, g-nut stew is traditionally served over cooked (steamed or boiled) yucca, also called cassava. Yucca is a starchy root, much like a potato, with white flesh and brown skin.
Whisk broth and tomato sauce with peanut butter in a medium pot until well combined.
Heat over low heat and add chickpeas and spinach.
Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until thoroughly warm and spinach has cooked down.
Remove the stew from heat and leave to rest for 5 to 15 minutes. The longer you let it sit, the creamer the sauce will become. Letting it rest also allows the flavors to blend with the spinach and chickpeas.
Variations
Low-Fat G-Nut Stew 
Try substituting peanut flour to taste instead of peanut butter, starting with 1 tablespoon or so. Peanut flour can be found at Trader Joe’s and some health food stores.
CHEF’S NOTE: You can find yucca in some supermarkets in the United States, especially Latin American and Asian grocery stores, but I actually prefer to sop up this stew with toast or Whole-Wheat Drop Biscuits. Coarsely mashed sweet potatoes are different, but make a decent substitute for the yucca as well.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (WITH PEANUT BUTTER) 215 Calories, 6.8g Fat, 30.4g Carbohydrates, 6.8g Fiber, 3.6g Sugars, 10.6g Fat
Serves 4 | I was only twelve or so when my parents first took me to New Orleans. I loved everything about that city: the way the people talked, the beautiful architecture and, of course, the food. Most of the popular dishes associated with Cajun and Creole cuisine aren’t normally vegetarian, but some of them, like gumbo, are often made vegetarian during Lent. This gumbo is vegan, but it captures all of the flavor Cajun cuisine is known for. The secret for great taste is making a roux, which I include here. Serve over cooked brown rice or with Bayou Cornbread (break cornbread into the gumbo).
1⁄4 c white whole-wheat flour
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, finely diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 tbsp Cajun Seasoning
1 to 2 tbsp Tabasco (or other hot sauce)
1 14-oz can tomatoes, undrained
1 15-oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 c vegetable broth
pinch of dried oregano
pinch of dried thyme
pinch of dried basil
Make sure the inside of a large pot is completely dry.
Toast flour over high heat, stirring frequently, until it darkens and smells toasty, taking care not to burn it.
Remove the flour and set aside.
Line the pot with a thin layer of water and sauté garlic over high heat for a minute.
Add onion, celery, and bell pepper, and continue to cook for 2 minutes, or until onion is translucent, the peppers are bright green, and most of the liquid has cooked off. Turn off heat and stir in flour to coat everything well.
Add Cajun Seasoning and hot sauce, stirring to coat; then add tomatoes with their juices, beans, and vegetable broth.
Add a pinch of dried oregano, thyme, and basil (use your intuition!) and stir to combine.
Bring to a near-boil, cover, and reduce heat to low, simmering for a few minutes until everything is warm.
Taste, adding more Cajun Seasoning, hot sauce (or cayenne powder) to taste, plus salt if desired.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (WITHOUT RICE) 257 Calories, 1.2g Fat, 52.2g Carbohydrates, 12.2g Fiber, 8.6g Sugars, 12.2g Protein
Serves 2 | I’m always looking for new ways to reinvent butternut squash soup. This dish came to be one afternoon when I had nothing but butternut squash and jalapeños in my fridge, and it might be my favorite take on butternut squash soup yet!
1 c vegetable broth
11⁄2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 tbsp minced jalapeño
1 c butternut squash, cubed
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
dash of chipotle powder
1⁄4 tsp low-sodium soy sauce (optional)
Line a large pot with a thin layer of broth.
Sauté garlic, ginger, and jalapeño until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add remaining broth plus butternut squash and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and simmer until fork-tender, about 8 minutes.
Transfer broth and veggies to a blender, in batches if necessary, and puree until smooth and creamy, adding extra broth as necessary.
Return mixture to your pot and add maple syrup and chipotle powder to taste. If you make it too spicy, you can mellow it out with a little nondairy milk. Add low-sodium soy sauce to taste, or salt for a soy-free version.
CHEF’S NOTE: Sweet potatoes or yams may be substituted for the butternut squash.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION 76 Calories, 0.2g Fat, 18.9g Carbohydrates, 3.1g Fiber, 8.2g Sugars, 1.2g Protein
Serves 2 | A chili without beans? Yes! A chili without beans! Cauliflower is a great surprise ingredient in this filling and satisfying low-calorie chili.
16 oz brown mushrooms
2 c No-Beef Broth
1 sweet onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 15-oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp steak sauce (or ketchup)
2 tsp yellow mustard
1⁄2 tsp mild curry powder
1 head cauliflower, chopped into quarter-size florets
cayenne powder or hot sauce, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
Pulse mushrooms in a blender or food processor until crumbled and the consistency of chopped olives.
Pour broth into a large pot; add mushrooms, onion, and garlic; and cook over high heat for a few minutes.
Add tomatoes with their juices, vinegar, and spices through curry powder, stirring to combine.
Add cauliflower and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until cauliflower is fork-tender and golden brown in color. Be sure to stir chili occasionally to incorporate everything.
Taste, adding cayenne powder or hot sauce (such as Tabasco or Cholula) to taste, and season with salt and pepper.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION 253 Calories, 2.9g Fat, 46.5g Carbohydrates, 15.1g Fiber, 18.9g Sugars, 18.1g Protein
Serves 3 | I love my chowders and I love Mexican food, so putting these two together just made sense.
1 small sweet onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 tsp chili powder
1⁄2 tsp paprika
1⁄2 tsp ground cumin
1⁄4 c nutritional yeast
1 c nondairy milk
2 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp yellow miso
1 c yellow corn
1 c canned black beans
juice of 1 or more lime wedges
salt and pepper, to taste
corn chips (optional)
garnishes: Sour Cream, vegan yogurt, or chopped cilantro
Line a large pot with a thin layer of water and bring to a boil.
Add onion and garlic and sauté until onion becomes translucent, about 2 minutes.
Add bell peppers and spices and reduce heat to medium, continuing to cook.
Meanwhile, whisk 1⁄4 cup of nutritional yeast with nondairy milk and ketchup, then pour over bell peppers, stirring to combine everything.
Add miso, corn, and black beans and stir in.
Squeeze the juice out of a lime wedge and stir.
Taste, adding more lime as desired plus salt and pepper to taste.
For a stronger cheese flavor, whisk in 1 to 2 more tbsp of nutritional yeast.
Serve with corn chips. You can garnish with a dollop of Sour Cream, vegan yogurt, or chopped cilantro, if desired.
CHEF’S NOTE: If your liquid is too thin, add tomato sauce, broth, or more nondairy milk.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION 252 Calories, 2.4g Fat, 43.4g Carbohydrates, 9.6g Fiber, 13g Sugars, 16g Protein
Serves 2 | Pictured on following page and here | This soup is dal-icious! It’s so flavorful you’ll want seconds—and thirds!
1 small sweet potato, skinned and diced into 1⁄2-inch cubes
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 to 2 pinches red pepper flakes
1⁄4 tsp turmeric
1⁄4 tsp garam masala
1 c vegetable broth
1⁄2 c dried red lentils
4 c spinach
salt, to taste
Line a medium pot with a thin layer of water and sauté onion and garlic for a minute.
Add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes and continue to cook until all the water has cooked off.
Add turmeric and 1⁄4 teaspoon of garam masala and stir to coat.
Add 1 cup of broth and uncooked lentils and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Add sweet potatoes, bring to a boil again, and reduce to low and simmer, until lentils are fully cooked (they expand and the sauce thickens), about 5 minutes more. Check periodically to see if you need additional broth (I tend to add an extra 1⁄2 cup, but it can vary).
Once lentils are cooked and sweet potatoes fork-tender, taste.
Add more garam masala as desired (I like to add another 1⁄4 teaspoon but some blends are stronger than others).
Add spinach, continuing to stir until spinach cooks down and softens.
Season with salt to taste and serve.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION 232 Calories, 0.9g Fat, 42.2g Carbohydrates, 17.7g Fiber, 4.7g Sugars, 15.4g Protein
