Image Source: The Little Gsp

It’s winter and all I can think of is soups. Cold winters and warm soups is the perfect combination to spend a great evening, reading books, watching a movie or just chit chatting with family. I grew up in a city where I got to enjoy all the seasons equally and in moderate conditions, be it hot summers, wet monsoon windy autumn, cold winters, or blossomy spring. We cook food as per the weather, to be strong and healthy, and enjoy everything about the weather and that is why I remember my mother cooking up tasty and healthy soups in the winter evenings. Today I am sharing, some of my very favorite vegetable soup recipes for the winter season.

1. Carrot Soup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons mustard oil

1 small onion, peeled and chopped

5 large carrots, chopped

1 green apple, chopped

5 tablespoons ginger

1/3 cup orange juice

1 1/2 cup coconut milk

2 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or water

2 teaspoons black pepper

2 teaspoons cumin seed powder

6 drops stevia

Salt to taste.

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 lemon wedge for garnish

Recipe

In a large saucepan, heat the mustard oil.

Add ginger to saucepan, and sauté it for a few minutes.

Now add, the chopped onions, carrots, and apples in the mustard oil, and sauté them until they become tender.

Slowly add the liquids i.e. orange juice, coconut milk and stock to saucepan, one after the another.

Switch off the gas, and let it cool completely.

Very carefully and in small batches, puree this mixture in a blender

Return the mixture to the pan to reheat, stirring in salt, black pepper, cumin seed powder, lemon juice, and stevia.

Pour in a bowl and garnish with a lemon wedge.

Serve and enjoy!

2. Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups pumpkin puree

2 cups vegetable broth, or water

2 teaspoons palm sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

1/2 teaspoon crushed black pepper

1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk, divided

Salt to taste

Pumpkin seeds, for garnish

Recipe

Heat the olive oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat.

Add the onion and garlic and sauté until golden brown, i.e for about 10 minutes.

Add the pumpkin puree, vegetable broth, palm sugar, allspice, and crushed red and black pepper. Bring this mixture to a boil.

Reduce the heat, cover and simmer until flavors blend together, for about 30 minutes.

Switch off the gas and let it cool completely

In small batches, blend the soup in a blender until smooth and return the soup to the pot.

Bring the soup to a simmer, add the coconut milk, to bring it to the desired consistency.

Season with salt and pepper to taste

Pour the soup into large bowls, sprinkle the pumpkin seeds and drizzle a teaspoon of coconut milk to garnish.

Serve and enjoy!

3. Green Peas Soup

Ingredients

4 cups chicken stock

4 carrots, cut in half

2 cups green peas

2 stalks celery, thinly sliced

2 medium onions, sliced thinly

4 green onions, chopped

2 springs coriander, chopped

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

Recipe

In a large pot, boil the chicken stock, and add carrots and green peas.

Reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes, covered. Remove and discard carrots.

While the green peas are simmering, in a large skillet, sauté celery, onion, and green onion, until onion is golden.

In the sautéed mixture, add parsley, rosemary, pepper, and bay leaf. Mix well. Boil again, and then reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours, covered.

Serve soup immediately with herb croutons and Enjoy!

Instead of the regular tomato, sweet corn or mixed veg soup, surprise your family with these amazing new soups this winter season. For me, winter season and dinner is the perfect way to bond with family and a bowl of soup, adds strength to the family bond.