Basics- Soup in 7 steps

Soup is like magic.

Really.

Magic.

Even the cooking challenged can improvise a good soup as long as they follow this simple formula. (Which means soup is more like math….but I like magic better.)

1.    Base ingredients- begin by sautéing the base ingredients. Things like onions, garlic, carrots, celery, chilies, or spices. You can also add aromatic herbs such as bay leaf, parsley, thyme, garlic, etc. Make sure you sauté in oil or butter. The fat captures the flavors and holds them. You don’t need a lot of fat, but you do need it.

2.   Liquid- Add a liquid such as a stock, juice, or water, this will determine a lot of what the flavor will be, so choose carefully…

3.   Slow cooking things- Here add the slow cooking root vegetables, winter squash, lentils, split peas, etc. This is also a good time to add salt if you’re using it.

4.   Watery vegetables- Next add watery vegetables such as tomatoes or summer squash. Also, add any precooked beans, pasta, or grains here.

5.   Delicate veggies- Save leafy greens and delicate veggies such as asparagus tips and peas for the end.

6.   Final touches- Here you can add cream or yogurt to make it creamy. Or blend all or part of your soup to make it thicker. Or add a thickener such as cornstarch or flour. Or leave it alone.

7.   Garnish and serve!

Make sure to taste your soup at all stages and make adjustments as you go. Add ingredients slowly and deliberately and also, remember simplicity is the key to all great art. Let each ingredient contribute.

The Great Indian Extravaganza- Day 1

So after my failed yet still tasty attempt (I ate around the spice chunks) at Indian food I went to Broulims to see if they had a spice mill. For future reference, they don't (but they do have a patty shaper, a melon baller, and silicon oven mitts), but they had something just as good. A little coffee grinder. It's so cute and perfect I think I'll have to name it. Here it is in all it's grinding glory--

 Anyway. As good as lunch was it was pretty heavy. And being a sunny day I was hoping for something a little lighter and I found it. This is adapted from a recipe I found in Ajoy Joshi's book Regional Indian Cooking.

Punjabi Lentils

1 1/2 cups cooked lentils*
2 TBSP vegetable oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 TBSP minced garlic
1 TBSP grated ginger
2 tsp coriander seeds, ground
1 tsp cumin seeds, ground
1/2 tsp chili powder (I used cayenne)
1 tomato, chopped
1/3 cup plain yogurt, whisked until smooth
garnish- cilantro

In a frying pan heat the oil until sizzly when splashed with water. When ready turn the heat down and cook the onions with salt until onions are soft and golden. Stir in garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, and chili powder and cook until fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Stir in tomato and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in yogurt and mix well (But don't let it boil! The yogurt will separate.) Add lentils and heat through.

*Cooking lentils: cook lentils with twice as much water as lentils until split and soft. Add more water as needed.

Julia Child's Garlic Soup

I had never heard of Julia Childs until a couple years ago, let alone knew who she was. (I know. Sad.) But Lately I have been swept up into the Julie/Julia craze. It's all about good food and love and people; all my favorite things! So while I will not be deboning a duck any time soon (I stay away from things that have bones) I will be offering a few recipes from her amazing book Mastering the Art of French Cooking that do work with my cooking preferences. For more info feel free to check out wiskblog.com. There working right now to catalog all of Julia's recipes on the web!

Garlic Soup With Poached Eggs
Makes 6 servings

1 head garlic, separated into cloves and peeled
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon dried sage
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
4 parsley sprigs
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 eggs, as needed per person
Chopped parsley, for garnish
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Crusty bread, optional.

1. In a large saucepan, combine the garlic, salt, pepper, sage, thyme, bay leaf, parsley sprigs and olive oil. Add 2 quarts of water. Place over high heat and bring to a boil; then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Pour through a fine-meshed strainer into a heatproof bowl, pressing on the garlic to squeeze out as much flavor into the broth as possible. Let cool and then transfer to a covered container and refrigerate until needed.
3. To prepare a serving for one, ladle about 1 1/3 cups of broth into a small saucepan. Place over medium-low heat and bring to a simmer. Carefully break an egg into the broth (do not break the yolk) and poach until the white is just set, about 1 ½ minutes. (It will continue to cook off the heat....not gonna lie, I cook mine longer. Not a runny egg person.) Transfer the egg to a soup bowl and pour the broth gently over it. Garnish with parsley and cheese. If desired, serve with crusty bread.

Banana Lassi

I hate old bananas. Once they've lost their green I think they taste really awful, which is a problem when you buy your own bananas and can't depend on your siblings to eat them for you. Luckily my roommate has a magic bullet (think little tiny single person smoothie blender) and while playing with my old bananas I came up with this recipe which I've been craving every night since I made it. I call it banana lassi after it's more traditional cousin from India.

Ingredients-
1 banana
1/4-1/2 cup plain yogurt
a dollop of honey ( usually I just drizzle as much honey in there as I can fit on a spoon....than lick the spoon)

Blend. Drink. Rejoice in your potassium and calsium filled creation.

Khichdi (easy indian lentils and rice)

• Half cup rice
• Quarter cup red lentils (masoor)
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1″ cinammon
• 4 cloves
• 1 tsp whole cumin
• 1 bay leaf
• Half tsp turmeric powder
• 3 cups of water
• 1 tbsp oil
• Salt to taste

Wash the rice and lentils well and mix together. Heat the oil and when hot fry the cinammon, cloves, cardamom and bay leaf. When the leaf starts going brown, add the whole cumin and let it sizzle up.
Then add the onion and fry well until it starts going brown. Chuck in the turmeric and give the masalas (the warm spices) a good stir.
Add the rice and lentils, and fry for a minutes stirring the masala into the mixture evenly. Add some salt at this stage.
Lower the flame to a medium heat, add the water, cover and cook. During this time, you can add raw carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, peas etc if you wish.
When the lentils lose their shape and the rice is cooked, your khichdi is ready.

Khichdi is the simplest and most adaptable recipe I've ever found when it comes to Indian food, kind of like the Indian equivalent of comfort food. Not only are they fairly normal ingredients but you can add veggies, meat, change the spices, etc. without too much problem. The combination of lentils and rice also provides a complete protien! Hooray!

Spinach Lasagna

1 package oven ready lasagna noodles
1 jar meatless spaghetti sauce
4-6 cups spinach (can also mix with fresh basil leaves if available)
2 cups ricotta
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1 egg
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Mix the ricotta, 1 cup of mozzarella, egg and spices in a bowl (make sure to taste so you get enough salt!) Began layering the ingredients starting with the sauce, noodles, ricotta mixture, than spinach. Layer until all ingredients are gone-- 2-3 times. Top with mozzerella and bake at 350 until cheese begins to brown and the edges are slowly bubbling.

Balsamic Roasted Veggies

Ingredients

• 1 small butternut squash, cubed
• 2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
• 3 Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed
• 1 red onion, quartered
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme(or 2 tsp dried)
  
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary (or 2 tsp dried)
  
• 1/4 cup olive oil
•   4tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (245 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine the squash, red bell peppers, sweet potato, and Yukon Gold potatoes. Separate the red onion quarters into pieces, and add them to the mixture.
3. In a small bowl, stir together thyme, rosemary, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Toss with vegetables until they are coated. Spread evenly on a large roasting pan.
4. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, stirring every 10 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked through and browned.

Don't worry if you don't have all the vegetables to make this, I use whatever root-ish veggies I have on hand and just use the recipe for the sauce. The last time I did it I used turnups, parsnips, onion, potato, pepper, zucchini, and mushrooms. Also feel free to play with any spices you have on hand. Just make sure  you stick to the italian theme! This is a great way to get your veggies in the winter!

Sooo... You want to be a vegetarian? (Part 3- The Rules)

If you've just come across this I suggest you scroll down and read part 1 and 2 before reading this....

So, now your brain is full of health information and your wondering how you will ever be able to balance your diet. Don't worry, you don't have to count your calsium by the milligram. Here are a few simple rules that will asure you get a balanced diet.

1. Eat a variety- Each kind of food provides a variety of nutrients by eating a variety of different foods you will get all the nutrients you need. Now verity doesn't just mean different kinds of fruits and veggies. It also means different kinds of nuts and beans and herbs and grains. Try lots of new things!

2. Build your meals around legumes and grains- Legumes and grains together (or within the same day) provide high quality protien, carbohydrates and fiber as well as a wealth of micronutrients. If you build your meals areound them it will be retitively easy to meet your nutritional requirements. 

3. Eat ethnically- America and western Europe are (generally) the only places where meat is the main source of protein. Other areas have relied on plant proteins for hundreds of years. When you cook ethnically it is easy to create a variety of yummy dishes that are meat free and good for you! Here are a few of my favorite cuisines and the grain/ legume combos their built around:

• Italian- Pastas and rice and beans and breads and pizzas! Yum!
• Latin American- Rice and beans and tortillas!
• India- chick peas and naan and rice and bean curries!
• Middle Eastern- Flat breads and hummus, and chickpeas, and rice!
  
• Oriental- rice and soy and beans!
  

There you are! Enjoy your vegetarian experience!

Sooo... You want to be a vegetarian? (Part 2- Nutrition- a very broad overview)

This is going to be long. But informative. Here we go!

There are 3 macro nutrients that your body requires

• Carbohydrates- broken down into simple sugars called glucose used by the body as energy
  
• Protein- The building blocks of the body, much of your body is made of amino acids or protien
  
• Fat- Necessary for brain function and building cell walls, also females need 10-15% body fat for normal menstruation function (to have babies safely)
  

All are necessary for proper body function (as you can see)

You also need a number of micro nutrients- these are the vitamins and minerals and phytoshemicals you find in mostly whole foods. These are like the switches that turn certain body functions on and off so it works right.

Soo... how does this affect vegetarians? Here are a few nutrition issues that you should be aware of--

• Protein- There are 22 amino acids that make up protein- some your body makes, 9 it doesn't. But only certain foods have all the necessary amino acids. These are meat, animal products, and soy (our good friend tofu)--they are called complete proteins. Lots of other things have protein (leafy green veggies, beans, nuts, grains, etc) but you need to eat a veriety to make sure you get all your amino acids in-- these are incomplete protiens. 
• Fat-- You need fat. You need fat. You need fat. Got it? Often fat is the bad guy in society because the saturated fat in meat clogs arteries and causes unhealthy fat storage in the body. But in reality 15-30% of you total calories should be from fat. Vegetarians generally don't need to avoid fat like meat eaters. Make sure your eating foods with fat in them such as vegetable oils (olivee, canola, sunflower, etc.), avacados, dairy products, eggs, flax, etc.
• Calsium- If you don't eat diary make sure you do your research and make sure you are getting enough calsium. While vegetarians don't generally need as much as meat eaters, calsium is used in most vital body functions as well as strong bones and teeth. 
• Other things nutrients that vegetarians need to make sure their getting are Vitamin D, Iron, B-12, and Folic Acid.

Now that your mind is dazed and confussed.... ON TO APPLICATION!!!

Sooo... You want to be a vegetarian? (Part 1- The Basics)

I have recieved a couple requests to write about how I eat and plan my vegetarian meals. Most people are suprised that I eat so, well, normal. For some reason people percieve vegetarianism as costly and dificult, with hours of planning and analizing your food. And while you can do that..... you don't really have to. I've decided to do this post in a few sections to help all you budding vegetarians (and friends and family of vegetarians) plan and eat in a way that is both healthy and cost effective. First I'm going to give you some basics, than teach you a bit about the nutrition behiend vegetarianism, and finally give you a few basic rules to live and eat by.

First, Vegetarianism should:

• Taste good
• Make you feel happy and healthy
• Give you enough energy
• Allow you to eat with friends and family on a regular basis
• not be boring

Vegetarianism should not:

• Make you feel like gagging when you eat
• Make you tired
• Make you lose an unhealthy amount of weight
• Force you to always eat alone
• Force you to eat the same thing every night
• be a bad experience

And you should know there are a couple of different kinds of vegetarians

• Vegan Vegetarian- Avoiding all animal products including meat, eggs, dairy, honey, leather, wool, etc.
• Lacto Vegetarian- Avoids meat and eggs but will eat dairy aand honey
• Lacto Ovo Vegetarian- Avoids meat 
• Pescatarian- NOT a vegetarian, but still an alternative eating style. Avoids meat but will eat seafood and fish.
• Flextarian- Also called partial vegetarian, eats a mostly vegetarian diet with meat every once in a while.

ON TO NUTRITION!!!!

Whole Wheat Pitas (with pockets!)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup warm water (110-115 degrees)
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup gluten*
1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, combine first 4 ingredients. Add the gluten and 1 cup of the flour, along with the yeast, and stir to mix. Add remaining flour and knead to make a soft dough. (Add additional flour if necessary during kneading.)
Alternately, if you have a bread machine, you can put the ingredients in the pan in the order listed and use the dough cycle. Skip to step 3 if using your bread machine! :)
2. Put your dough into a bowl, lightly oil the top, and cover. Set in a warm place to rise, until almost double (about an hour). I like to turn my oven on for a minute or two, then turn it off, and let the dough rise in there, since our house is cool.
3. Punch dough down and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Using a sharp knife, cut dough into 8 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a 6- or 7-inch circle.
4. As you roll the rounds, set them aside on a lightly floured countertop or table, and cover loosely with a towel. Let rise for about 25-35 minutes, until slightly puffy. (The rounds will still be thin though! :D)
5. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place 2 rounds, side-by-side, onto a wire rack, such as is used for cooling things. Place rack in the middle of the oven. Bake for 4-5 minutes, until puffy and just slightly browned. (If bread is too browned, it will be dry and not pliable.)
6. Remove rack from oven and immediately wrap/layer pita breads in a damp towel, to soften. Continue baking the remaining breads, layering them between damp towels as soon as they're baked. Allow breads to completely cool.
7. Cut pita breads in half, or split the top edge, and fill as desired. :)
8. Store pitas in a plastic zipper bag in the fridge for a few days, or place in the freezer for longer storage. To re-warm pitas, wrap them in a damp towel and then wrap in foil. Place in a warm (200-250 degree) oven for about 20 minutes.

Courtesy of http://www.tammysrecipes.com/whole_wheat_pita_pockets

Roasted Corn Salad

• 3 ears sweet corn
• 1/2 cut fresh basil
• 1 c cucumber cubed
• 1 c tomato cubed
• 1 1/2 TBSP olive oil
• 2 TBSP lime juice
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• extra olive oil for grilling

Brush corn with olive oil and grill, either on a grill or under the broiler until kernels are brown and begin to pop. Slice corn off of cob and combine in a bowl with basil, cucumber, and tomatoes. Mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Toss the salad with the sauce and refrigerate until chilled. 

Easy Veggie Gyoza (Potstickers)

• 1 package pot sticker wrappers
• 1/4 cup chopped tofu (about an 1/8 of a block)
  
• 1/2 cup cabbage (green or bok choy)
• 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1/4 cup shredded carrots
• 1 clove garlic chopped
• 1/2 tsp fresh ginger chopped
• 1 egg (optional)
  

Sauce-

• 2 TBSP soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1-2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp rice vinegar

Stir fry all filling ingredients in a hot wok or frying pan with a little oil until cabbage is wilted and veggies begin to brown. Transfer to a food processer and chop until mixture begins to stick together.  Add all sauce ingredients to the filling mixture. Put a small amount of filling in the middle of the pot sticker wrapper and seal with a little water. From here you may freeze them or, to cook, place them in a hot wok or frying pan coated with oil. Add a couple tablespoons of water and cover the pan. After a few minutes of steaming remove the lid and let them brown. Dip in your choice of sauce.

Feel free to substitute your choice of vegetables for the filling. Bean sprouts would be really good.

Stuffed Peppers

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup uncooked Arborio rice
• 2 green bell peppers, halved and seeded
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Stir in the rice. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.
3. Place the peppers cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Roast 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until tender and skin starts to brown.
4. While the peppers are roasting, heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onions, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in oil for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato, and cook for 5 minutes. Spoon in the cooked rice, and stir until heated through. Remove from heat, mix in the feta cheese, and spoon the mixture into the pepper halves.
5. Return to the oven for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Susan's Pesto

From Moosewood cook Susan Harville

Susan's Pesto is best served immediately, but it will keep refrigerated for 3 or 4 days.

Makes 1 cup
Total time: 10 minutes

1 cup well-packed fresh basil leaves
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts*
½ teaspoon salt

*To toast pine nuts, spread them in a single layer on an unoiled baking sheet and bake in a conventional or toaster oven at 350° for about 3 to 5 minutes, until just slightly deepened in color.

Rinse and drain the basil leaves. In a blender or food processor, combine the basil, tomatoes, garlic, pine nuts, and salt and puree until smooth. You may need to stop several times to scrape the sides of the blender or processor bowl with a rubber spatula.

Spicy Cucumber Salad

Dressing
½ cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
½ fresh green chile, seeded and minced
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root

2 medium cucumbers
¼ red onion, very thinly sliced
coarsely chopped roasted peanuts (optional)

Stir together the rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, chile, black pepper, and ginger root in a serving bowl.

Peel the cucumbers, halve them lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Slice the cucumbers, crosswise into ¼-inch-thick crescents. Add the cucumbers and the onions to the dressing and refrigerate.

Serve cold, garnished with chopped roasted peanuts, if desired.

Reprinted from Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special

Penne with Puttanesca Sauce

Anyone who has read "A Series of Unfortunate Events" will know this recipe.....

1 cup diced onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
5½ to 6 cups chopped fresh or undrained canned tomatoes
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 ½ tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
10 large kalamata olives, pitted and chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

a few fresh parsley sprigs (optional)
grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Combine the onions, garlic, and oil in a saucepan, cover, and sauté for about 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent, stirring occasionally. While the onions cook, chop the tomatoes-you can chop or crush canned tomatoes right in the can. Add the tomatoes to the saucepan. Stir in the oregano, red pepper flakes, capers, olives, and parsley. Simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes, or a little longer.

When the sauce has cooked for 10 to 15 minutes, bring a large covered pot of water to a boil. Add the penne and cook for about 7 minutes, until al dente. Drain and serve immediately with the sauce. If you wish, top with parsley sprigs and sprinkle with grated Parmesan.

Greek Pasta Salad

½ pound pasta shells

¼ cup olive oil
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
½ teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons water
1 green or red bell pepper, diced

5 artichoke hearts, drained and quartered (14-ounce can)
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 celery stalk, sliced
2 scallions, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (2 teaspoons dried)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (1 teaspoon dried)
salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 cup grated or crumbled feta cheese
Greek olives

Bring a large covered pot of water to a rapid boil. Cook the pasta shells, uncovered, until al dente, and then drain. Rinse them under cold water until cool, and drain again.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the eggplant. Cover and cook for 3 minutes on medium heat. Stir in the salt, garlic, lemon juice, and water. Cover and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, until the eggplant is almost tender. Add the diced red bell peppers, and if you are using dried herbs, add the dill and oregano. Simmer a few minutes more, until the peppers are cooked but still have some crunch.

While the eggplant and peppers are cooking, place the artichoke hearts, cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, scallions, fresh dill, and fresh oregano in a large salad bowl. Add the cooked eggplant and peppers. Stir in the pasta and toss well. Add salt and pepper and more lemon juice or olive oil to taste.

Serve at room temperature topped with the feta and some olives.

Note: this salad can be refrigerated to serve later, but the pasta may absorb the flavors and need an additional dash of lemon juice and olive oil just before serving.

Reprinted from Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home

Black Bean & Chipotle Soup

¼ cup olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
2 cloves garlic minced or pressed
2 cups peeled and diced carrots
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green or red bell peppers
2 cups cooked black beans (two 15-ounce cans, undrained) (or cook 1 cup dried beans)
½ dried chipotle pepper, or 1 canned chipotle in adobo sauce (recommended)
2 cups chopped fresh or undrained canned tomatoes (12-ounce can)
½ cup orange juice
½ cup water
salt to taste
sour cream to top
chopped fresh cilantro

Warm the oil in a non-reactive soup pot. Sauté the onions and garlic in the oil for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent. Add the carrots and cumin and cook on medium heat, sitting often for a few minutes. Add the celery and peppers, lower the heat, cover, and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the beans chipotle, tomatoes, orange juice, and water, and simmer, covered for 20 minutes. If you're not using canned beans, add ½ cup of beans cooking liquid or additional water.

If you like a thicker broth, you can blend one or two cups of the soup until pureed, and stir it back into the remaining soup. Top with optional sour cream and cilantro.

Reprinted from Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special

Eastern European Vegetable Stew

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup diced potatoes
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup peeled and diced parsnips
2 cups peeled and diced turnips and/or rutabaga
2 cups peeled and diced beets
6 cups of water or mock chicken stock or vegetable stock
2 teaspoons salt
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme and/or dill (1 teaspoon dried)
1/4 cup cider vinegar
5 cups rinsed and chopped Swiss chard or spinach
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup sour cream or plain nonfat yogurt (optional)

Procedure:

In a soup pot on medium heat, warm the oil and cook the onions and garlic for 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips, and/or rutabaga, beets, water or stock, salt, bay leaves, and thyme and/or dill. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the vinegar and chopped greens and simmer for 10 minutes more. Add salt and pepper to taste. Find and discard the bay leaves. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt, if you like.

Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Soups & Stews Deck