Creamy Green Pea-Cauliflower-Broccoli Soup with a Sumac Tahini Swirl

Let’s talk about how soup is the perfect food. It can be light and fresh, hearty and deep, chunky or smooth. You can eat it with a spoon, or somtime a fork if warranted, or just drink it from a mug. It’s usually a one pot meal, a small pot for one, a big pot for many. Make a pot of soup and eat some now and save some for later. It freezes amazingly well. Got a few extra sad carrots and wilted greens? Toss them into a pot with whatever you have on hand, maybe those veggies scraps and you got yourself a meal. Want something more filling, just add in some grains. Feeling sick, warm soup will make it all better. Feeling fresh and springy, well soup is there for you too. Seriously soup, you can do anything. If I could, I would marry you. ♥️

This soup is one of this velvety smooth, light but rich, delicious beyond delicious soups. A fresh spring time soup. Not to hearty or heavily spiced. Super rich and creamy and flavorful. Bright ass green which makes it amazing in itself, but then with a nice tangy sumac tahini swirl on top, well it is just about the most perfect soup. I made to share, which I did, (and everyone licked their bowls clean) but then hoarded the little bit left over and ate it cold for a late afternoon snack. That is another thing about soup, you can eat is cold and it is still amazing.

Tasty and delicious, and nutritious. This soup does it all.

To the soup!

The stuff. Peas, chopped broccoli, and chopped cauliflower which are all frozen and slightly thawed. You can totally use fresh here too, but I just so happen to have it frozen so you might as well save the fresh stuff for fresh eating. Also have a big yellow onion, a few cloves garlic, some tahini, a lemon, sumac, and salt and pepper. You need water which I did not picture here.

A pot, some water and a roughly chopped onion and the garlic start off this soup. Bring the pot to a boil, then turn to medium and let the onion and garlic cook until very tender. I have been making a lot of soups starting with this step lately. Boiling the onion and garlic until tender and fragrant really make for a super flavorful and clean soup base. Or soup in itself.

Now add in the broccoli and cauliflower to the pot and cook until tender.

Mid soup cooking time is a good time to make the sumac tahini sauce for the swirl. Basics here, just mix the tahini, the sumac, a pinch of salt and pepper, the juice of the lemon and a tablespoon of warm water together until smooth.

Last but not least, the peas. Add them in and they just need a few minutes to cook through.

And then it all gets blended to become this green creamy goodness.

Ladle into bowls, grab the sumac tahini sauce and swirl it on in. A tablespoon or so is good. And don’t forget a little more pepper and another pinch of sumac for good measure.

Just appreciate for a moment. That is one good looking bowl of soup. And it taste even better then it looks.

-C

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Creamy Green Pea-Cauliflower-Broccoli Soup with a Sumac Tahini Swirl

Makes about 4 serving

• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen peas

• 1 1/2 cup chopped fresh or frozen cauliflower

• 1 1/2 cup chopped fresh or frozen broccoli

• 1 large onion

• 3-4 cloves garlic

• 4-5 cups water

• Salt and pepper

• 1 teaspoon sumac

• 2 tablespoons tahini

• 2-4 tablespoons warm water

Start by removing the papery skin from the onion and chop into a few big chunks. Remove the skin from garlic too. Place into pot with 4 cups water. Turn heat on high and bring to a boil then turn heat to medium and let onion are garlic cook until tender which should take about 15-20 minutes

Once the onion is cooked, add in the broccoli and cauliflower. Turn heat back to high and bring to a boil again then turn back down to medium heat. Keep cooking until tender (another 15 minutes or so) then add in the peas. Keep on heat until peas are cooked through then remove the pot from heat and either transfer to a blender or use a immusrian blender to blend the soup until smooth. Add a little more water if needed to get to the right consistency to blend right. Or if you want a thinner soup.

For the tahini sumac swirl just mix the tahini and sumac together along with the juice of the lemon, two tablespoon warm water and a pinch of salt. Mix together until smooth. If the mixture is to thick, add another tablespoon of water.

To serve. Ladle or pour soup into bowls and drizzle and swirl the tahini sumac on top. Sprinkle with pepper and a pinch more sumac and you are good to go.

Baked Falafel with Creamy Sumac Sauce

My dad is in town. Hooray! Haven't seen him in like 6 months cause a) he lives in Michigan, and b) he lives in Michigan. He comes back to Vt a few times a year to hang with the children he fathered then abandoned to the mid west. (haha just kidding, not kidding) So yeah, a family fun week. I am hopping for a good family hike, some father daughter house talking and of course any help he wants to hand out on the house... "Sure you can wire that!" But my real mission for the week is to a) feed him lots of good food (he looks to thin) and b) get him to move either back or very close to VT, or someplace like New Mexico (I would visit all the time) or even Florida (real estate is dirty cheap there)

 So mission one. Feed him lots of food, and food that is not bread and cheese. (he eats a lot of bread and cheese) So when the old many comes over this week fir dinner, I will bust out the good old falafel.

I used to make falafel all the time, it was my go to meal. Super fast and easy. The mr loves it, I love it, and yeah. But weirdly I haven't made it in like over a year. So last week when my sister came over, I made it for us.  And it was like the good old time where I would come home form class, grabbing the caned chick pea and all the spicy things(feeling so cool that I cooked my own food). I would make the dinner, we would light some candles, set the table and maybe even bust open the cheap, 3 dollar bottle or red wine and we would eat all the falafel. Oh those were the days. When I made it last week, there was no wine, (we drank seltzer)  not candles (she needed light to do homework) and no smug feeling of being cool (I wasn't going for cool) but there was a happy mr and sister ans some freaking tasty falafel.

So yeah, have to make it again for the old man, I know he will love it. And it's cool if I make it again cause falafel is one of those things that should be eaten all the time, as long as it is not fried, which this is not, so eat it all the time.

The stuff. We have chickpeas (in their liquid) a bunch of parsley, a carrot and an onion. Spice wise we have garlic, turmeric, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper. Also have olive oil and a bit of oat flour. Then for the sauce we are going to need some sumac and tahini. A lemon and some garlic and some of that chick pea liquid. 

Start with chopping up the carrots and onion into smaller pieces and placing it all into the food processor along with the spices, the garlic and a little drizzle of olive oil. Pulse until mixture resembles a chunky crumb.

Now drain the chickpeas (reserve the liquid) and add them an the parsley in the processor. Also add in the oat flour. Continue to pulse.

Pretty, colored speckled goodness. Dump the mixture into a bowl and place in the fridge for at least an hour, but you could even go as far as making it a day ahead.  And try not to eat it all right now. (I could eat it all right now)

And the sauce. Sumac is so lovely nice , bright and tangy which pairs so well with the earthy creamy tahini,. Add both those, along with the minced up garlic, and the lemon juice. And add in a bit of the chick pea liquid. May seem weird, but it gives the sauce a creamier consistency.

After the hangout in the fridge, take mixture and scoop out balls of like sized and place them on a lightly oiled baking sheet. I also brush the tops with a a tiny bit of oil as well. Pop them into the oven for about 35-40 minutes, flipping after about 25.

Baked to a nice dark brown on both sides while the inside stays a right tender green. These falafels are ready to go.

Along with some pitas, some greens and a simple onion and tomato slaw... Piled with falafel balls, smothered in sauce.

Dinner is served!

Cant wait to make it again!

So GOOD!

-C

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Baked Falafel with Creamy Sumac Sauce

makes about 12 good sized balls (serves 3)

Falafel things

• 2cups cooked chickpeas (or one can)
• 1 bunch parsley(about1 cup.. can sub cilantro or any type of green really)
• 2 hefty teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 4-6 cloves garlic
• a yellow onion
• 1 medium carrot
• 2- 4 tablespoon oat flour (or chickpea or regular flour.. just some type of flour)
• salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon olive oil plus more for baking sheet

For the sauce

• 2 tablespoons sumac
• 3-5 teaspoons chickpea water
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 1-2 cloves garlic (optional)
• juice of1/2 a lemon

Serving suggestions. Fresh pitas or flat breads are great. Lots of greens and chopped veggies topped with falafel is my favorite.  I like to chop up a tomato and some onion sprinkled with salt to servealong with it. Also, if you don'tt want to make sumac sauce, hummus, salsa, hot sauce and mustard are all great topping.

In a food processor, add in garlic, the onion and carrot after you chop into smaller pieces) the spices and a splash of olive il pulse until it kind of chunky crumb.. Now add in parsley, the flour,(start with lesser amount ans ass more if mixture seems to loose)  and the drained chickpeas.(RESERVE LIQUID) Pulse until combined and the mixture has all come together and is on it's way to being smooth, but stop before it is. (don't make hummus) Dump mixture into a bowl and place in fridge for at least an hour, if not longer.

While that in the fridge, make the sauce. Grab a cup or jar and all the stuff for the sauce. Mince up the garlic then add everything together in the jar and whisk with a fork, adding more chickpea liquid if you want to thin it out more. Set aside

Once the falafel had had time to chill, preheat oven to 375.

. Take the falafel and make 12-14 like sized balls and place onto a lightly oiled baking sheet. Press each ball down a bit and then very lightly brush (or spray)  a tiny bit more oil on the tops. Place into oven to bake. for about 40 minutes, pulling them outand flipping them after about 25 minutes. They are ready when booth sided are a nice crisp deep brown, without being burnt.

Remove from oven, place on pitas or greens or what have you and smother with sauce. No need for forks here.

Quinoa and Asparagus with Sumac Dressing

The bounty of spring is upon us. Asparagus is everywhere and I have been embracing it.. smelly pee and all.  And along with all my spring veggies and smells,  I have grabbing for more springy spices. I go through seasonal spice kicks, like cinnamon and ginger in the fall, curries and chills in the winter. And for spring, I am big on sumac. If you haven't heard of it or tasted it, it kind of taste like a tangy salty lemon..without actually having any salt. And its a really pretty, a bright red, almost purple color. I use it on a lot of things, especially veggies and bean dishes, sometimes as a lemon replacer, but mostly to add another level of tangy flavor. It's fantastic, really great for all those springy time dishes. Nice and bright!

 This dish is perfect made and eaten right away, but it's one of those dishes that tastes even better the day after. Also it's good and safe to serve room temperature. (think lunch box or a picnic!) And did I mention healthy? Protein packed quinoa and the lean green asparagus, I mean come on. You won't feel an ounce of guilt for eating a hugmongo bowl of this stuff because you should, so it's totally ok.

Eat away! 

The stuff of the stuff. Quinoa and asparagus for the base. Sumac, lemon, garlic, onion, salt and pepper and a little splash of oil for the dressing. 

Note. Sumac is not always the easiest spice to find. I know that its available online (what isn't) and that some health food store or herbal apothecaries carry it, but i have ye tot see it at a conventional supermarket. And once you find it, buy a good amount cause you will also fall in love with it and use it on everything. 

     Start by making the dressing. You want to have it sit for at least 10 minutes. It will be perfect by the time the quinoa is done. Mince the garlic, dice the onion and juice the lemon. Stick it all into a jar with the sumac, a pinch of salt and pepper and about a teaspoons worth of olive oil. Stick a lid on the jar and shake shake shake. and let it sit.

Now you should make the quinoa.. Water and quinoa go into pot, high heat until boiling,  topped with a lid and set to simmer for about 15 minutes. 

When the quinoa is simmering, cook up the asparagus. Add a drizzle of oil, to a pan and a few splashes of water. Place trimmed and chopped asparagus to pan and sprinkle with salt. Cook on medium heat for about 8 minutes, or until cooked but still has a nice crunch to it. Take off heat and add the dressing to pan.  Let it sit and marinate for a few minutes.When the quinoa is tender, fluff with a fork and add to the skillet with the asparagus and dressing. Toss around to make sure all the quinoa gets dressed. Take a taste.. does it need a little salt and pepper? Add a pinch if it does.Pile into a bowl, add a bit of cracked pepper.. and eat.

Or… Idea! Make this dish and pack it into a jar. Maybe grab a baguette and some hummus os some other  tasty foods and take yourself and a friend out for a picnic. 

So much good .

Keep it real yo

-C

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Quinoa and Asparagus with Sumac Dressing

serves 3-4  as a side dish or 2 as a main meal. 

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 8-10 asparagus 
• olive oil

For the Dressing

• 1 tablespoon sumac
• 1/2 small red onion
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• Juice of 1 jumbo lemon or 2 small lemons
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• salt and pepper

Start but making the dressing. Mince the garlic and finely dice the onion. Place in a  jar with the sumac, the juice of the lemon, a pinch of salt and pepper, and a little splash of oil. Top the jar and shake the crap out of it for a minute. Let sit and meld. (This dressing can be made ahead of time and is fantastic on all sorts of everything)

In a large pot, add water, quinoa and a spindle of salt. Bring to a boil, cover , and reduce heat to simmer. Let cook for about 15 minutes or until water has completely absorbed.  When the quinoa gets going, trim the woody parts of the asparagus and chop the remain asparagus into inch long pieces. Toss into a lightly oiled skillet with a few splashes of water, sprinkle with salt and put on medium heat for about 8 minutes, or until asparagus is cooked, but still crispy. Take off heat and add the sumac dressing. Once the quinoa is done, fluff it with a fork and toss it with the sumac dressed asparagus. Scoop into a bowl, add some cracked pepper. Bring food to face and eat. 

Any leftover? This dish is fantastic serves cold or at room temperature.