Simple Summer Soup, Hot or Cold!
With Vegan Garlic Bread
Calling All Garlic Lovers!
What do you do when you have a ton of garlic in your kitchen that you need to use up quickly? You make this happy accident which is sure to keep the vampires away. Warning: this is extreme garlic like I've never experienced. You will want to warn your friends and family or just plan a mini vacation away from those you care about. I ate this for lunch and I was quite strategic by serving it to my husband as well, who normally doesn't love soup, but he quite enjoyed this concoction.
What I love about this recipe is that it is fast, simple and there could be many variations with herbs and spices. Once all the ingredients are prepped, it won't be long before you are reaping all of the natural cold fighting, mosquito repelling and health-boosting benefits that garlic has to offer.
Here's what you are going to need:
I normally like to use my own veggie broth, but this time I started with "Imagine", my favourite commercial vegetable broth brand which is both organic and low in salt. I highly recommend this brand but any veggie broth will do. - But nothing beats homemade!
Soup Ingredients (Serves 4)
Vegetable broth
Olive oil
20 cloves of garlic
1 medium size onion
1 large red pepper
Can of corn
Can of tomato paste
Handful of fresh parsley
Handful of fresh thyme
This is the tomato paste I used, but any tomato paste will do. It adds a beautiful colour, thickened texture and robust taste. It is an essential ingredient for this recipe.
I used the PC Blue Menu brand for the low salt content. Salt is one of those ingredients you can always add later, but you can take it away.
Garlic Bread Ingredients
4 slices of vegan bread
4 tablespoons vegan margarine
4 tablespoons of parsley
2 large garlic cloves
Pinch of chili flakes
Earth Balance is my favourite brand of vegan margarine. Check your local health food store for this or something comparable.
Soup Instructions:
1. Mince cloves of garlic, chop red pepper and onion, set aside.
2. Pour vegetable oil in large saucepan and put on medium low heat.
3. Put olive oil in medium skillet on medium heat.
4. Once heated, add 3/4 of the garlic and all of the onion.
5. Stir for a few minutes until browned.
6. Add remaining garlic to the broth mixture.
7. Add the fried onion and garlic mixture to the hot vegetable broth and stir.8. Add can of corn to the broth.
9. Add red pepper to the mix, stir and bring to a boil.
10. Add tomato paste, stir until melted into the soup.
11. Finely chop parsley and thyme, then add to soup.
12. Let simmer for at least a half hour.
Remove from heat and serve.
Garlic Bread Instructions:
1.Butter bread with vegan margarine.
2. Sprinkle minced garlic evenly over the bread and spread with a knife if needed.
3. Sprinkle chopped parsley and chili flakes evenly over the bread slices.
4. Cut the bread slices into 4 so they toast evenly.
5. Place on a baking sheet in your over or toaster oven for 10 minutes or until dark brown.
Remove from heat and serve.
This is a delicious and healthy summertime lunch meal. You can eat the soup hot or cold, I personally prefer hot:)
Bon appetit!
jd
