roasted red pepper soup with roasted chickpeas

Can I tell you how awesome it was to cook something other than doughnuts, tortilla pizzas, eggs, spinach, and avocado toast?  That pretty much sums up what I’ve been making around here lately and it’s quickly becoming so.very.lame.

Can I also tell you how IN LOVE with fall I am right now?  This may be due to the excruciatingly long stretch of summer heat we had around here, which I’ve mentioned about 100 times.

The crunchy leaves, the vibrant colors, the crisp air.

Fall is so delicious.

As is this soup!

Our local farmers market opened 1 month early this year and extended its duration a month longer as well.  Do you know how giddy this makes me?  It’s fall AND the market is open until the end of the month?  AH!

When I found a good deal on peppers this last weekend I swooped up a couple pounds and immediately thought to make roasted red pepper soup.  I can’t even begin to tell you the amazing aroma that will engulf your kitchen from the roasted red peppers. 

Do they make roasted red pepper candles?  They should.

Whenever I make a blended soup I adore topping it with something crunchy. Roasted chickpeas seemed like a great match and gave this soup a little more staying power.

I also highly recommend a buttery, crispy, cheese stuffed sandwich on the side.

And then proceed to dunk each and every bite into your mug of piping hot soup.

Print this!

Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Roasted Chickpeas

vegan, gluten-free // serves 4-6 // adapted from roasted red pepper soup

• 4 cups *no-sodium vegetable broth
• 6 med/lg red bell peppers
• 2 medium yukon gold potatoes, cubed
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1.5 cup crushed fire roasted tomatoes
• 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1.5 Tablespoons ghee/butter/oil
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoons thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon parsley
• 1+ teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1. Preheat your grill to 400 degrees.
2. In a large pot over med-low heat melt the ghee, butter, or oil until hot. 
3. Add in the chopped onion and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  Cook, stirring every minute or so until the onions have caramelized. About 20 minutes. [You can turn your heat to medium and cook for 6-9 minutes until browned, but cooking on lower heat for longer will bring out a much sweeter/deeper flavor.]
4. When the onions start cooking, place the peppers on the hot grill and cook for about 5 minutes per side, rotating 4 times.  All sides should be charred/blackened.
5. Place peppers in a large bowl and cover with saran wrap for 15 minutes.
6. Add the garlic, dried herbs, another 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and pepper into the onion mixture and stir for about 1 minute until fragrant.
7. Add in the tomatoes, potatoes, chipotle peppers, and veggie stock.  Stir, then simmer for about 15 minutes while steaming the peppers.
8. Peel the skins off the peppers in the large bowl [carefully, they’re hot!] and remove the stem and seeds. You should be able to pull the stem out with the seeds. Don’t worry if a few seeds and a bit of the blackened skin remain on the peppers.  Discard the skins but make sure to peel over the large bowl to keep any of the juices.
9. Empty the peppers and juices into the soup mixture and bring to a boil.
10. Reduce heat to simmer and blend the soup with your immersion blender until smooth. [or, place in your blender-carefully in 2 batches-and blend until smooth then return to the pot]
11. Simmer for 15 minutes to thicken and let the flavors develop.
12. Taste and add more salt/pepper if needed.
13. Serve hot and top with roasted chickpeas and green onions.

notes:  *Make sure to use no salt or less salt if your veggie stock has sodium already in it.  Taste at the end and add more if needed.  I used two chipotle peppers which made a med-hot spiciness.  Use 1 pepper for medium spiciness.  These peppers are easily found in a small can in the Mexican/ethnic section of your grocery store.

Roasted Chickpeas

• 1.5 cups chickpeas, rinsed + drained
• 1/2 tablespoon sunflower oil
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat your oven to 400* and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Spread the chickpeas on the pan and mix the oil and seasonings with the chickpeas until evenly coated.
3. Roast for about 35 minutes, stirring 2 times while cooking.
4. Top soup with the roasted chickpeas or eat by the handful.

Leftovers are calling my name.

Ashley

creamy asparagus soup with goat milk

For today, I couldn’t decide if I wanted to share a recipe or do a fun post with random photos from the week and links to delicious creations around the web.

How about the recipe and a few links along the way?

This recipe could not wait until Monday.  You know, because after you stuff your mom with yogurt coffee cake, baked bread pudding [gf + vegan], banana bread waffles [gf], or roasted strawberry + brown butter pancakes, she is still going to want lunch.  She might not want in until 3pm but she’ll want it.

And this is just the light, flavorful, and spring-like recipe she be looking for.

Dog not included.

When I thought of making an asparagus soup I instantly thought of a few things.

• creamy + smooth in texture, but not overly thick
• add avocado + goat cheese in the soup
• include goat milk

And then I thought of one more.

• roast the asparagus

Roasting the asparagus is key!  You can literally taste the roasted flavor in the soup!  The goat’s milk is not overwhelming and adds nice depth + contrast.

Top each bowl with goat cheese, toasted pepitas, and a drizzle of goat’s milk and your mom will be left speechless.

Print this!

Creamy Asparagus Soup with Goat Milk

serves 4-6

• 1.5 lbs asparagus, ends trimmed
• 1.5 cups russet potato, cubed
• 3/4 cup celery, chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped [just over 1c]
• 1/2 avocado
• 5 cups low or no-sodium vegetable broth
• 3/4 cups full-fat goat milk
• 1 Tablespoon garlic, minced
• 3 Tablespoons goat cheese
• 1.5 Tablespoons ghee/oil + 1/2T oil
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon parsley
• 1/4-3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon black pepper

topping ideas: goat cheese, salt, pepper, toasted pepitas [pumpkin seeds], tofu croutons, bread croutons

1. Pre-heat your oven to 400* and place the [washed with ends trimmed] asparagus on a baking sheet.  Coat with 1/2T oil and a sprinkle of salt + pepper.
2. One pre-heated, place the pan in the oven and roast for 20-25min, turning 1-2 times.  Remove from the oven.
3. While the asparagus is roasting, place a large pot over med-low heat and add the 1.5T ghee or oil.
4. Once hot, place the onion + celery in the pot for about 10-12min, until it softens and starts to brown.  Stir every minute or so.
5. Add in the garlic, thyme, basil, parsley, salt, and pepper and stir for 30 seconds – 1 minute, until fragrant and the garlic starts to brown.  *If using a full-sodium vegetable broth, don’t add more salt until the end.  If using a low-sodium broth, start by adding in 1/4t.
6. Add in the chopped potato and vegetable broth, turn the heat to medium/med-high and bring to a boil.
7. Stir, then reduce heat to simmer for about 10-12min until the potato is tender [test with a fork].  Stir every few minutes.
8. Add in the roasted asparagus and continue to simmer for 5 minutes. 
9. Add in the avocado and goat cheese.  Turn the heat off and move the pot to a cool burner.
10. Blend until smooth with an immersion blender.  This can take a few minutes to make sure all of the potato is fully blended.  *If using a blender, blend the soup in 2-4 batches, depending on the size.  Be very careful starting at the lowest speed then working it up slowly.
11. Return the soup to the pot and simmer over low/med-low heat for 10-15min, stirring every minute or so.
12. Stir in the goat milk, taste, and add more salt + pepper if desired.
13. Serve hot + top however you like.  Let cool before storing in the fridge for up to 3-4 days in a sealed container.

How many taste testing spoons did I use?

About this many…

[follow me on Instagram]

What?  Your mom still wants dessert?

How about a Flourless Chocolate Amaretti Cake, from Spoon Fork Bacon?

Or maybe a Honey Balsamic Strawberry Galette, from Honey & Jam?

Maybe a gooey chocolate cake or two with vanilla bean ice cream, from me?

Or maybe something light + fresh, like Roasted Strawberry + Coconut Milk Popsicles, from The Year in Food?

I’ll be wishing my mom a Happy Mother’s Day from afar this year, but she might find a few goodies on her doorstep anyway.

I’ll also be wishing Baby A a HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY!!  She is the cutest!

…

One more exciting thing!  I just started writing a food column over at the site SHFT.   

“SHFT is a multi-media platform founded by film producer Peter Glatzer and actor-filmmaker Adrian Grenier. Our mission is to convey a more sustainable approach to the way we live through video, design, art and culture.”

I am thrilled to have this opportunity and my second piece just went live this morning.  My first series is on “seasonal eats,” where I will highlight one seasonal food per week and include a simple recipe.

Last week – Asparagus

This week – Rhubarb – with a honey lemon rhubarb compote recipe - It was my first time eating or cooking with rhubarb and I’m in love.  Expect to see a few rhubarb recipes popping up soon!

Happy Friday.

Ashley