Cauliflower soup

      
              I am finally back to my blog after a long time. It has been a crazy summer. I took 2 big vacations this summer, first to see my family in India and then an awesome 10 days vacation in Peru. I will post about Peru some other time.
              Today, I am bringing a simple, yet healthy tasty soup recipe. It is a very simple recipe with minimal ingredients. So lets make some Cauliflower soup.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium chopped Cauliflower
• 1/2 cup chopped Onions 
• 1/2 cup chopped Green Bell Peppers
• 1 tbsp chopped Parsley
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
• 2 tsp Thyme leaves
• 2-3 minced Garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• Salt to taste

Instructions: 

• Heat the olive oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds. 
• Once the cumin seeds start to crackle, add the garlic and stir it till it golden brown
• Now add the onions and cook them till they are translucent.
• Then add the bell peppers and mix them well
• Now add the cauliflower florets and about 4-5 cups of water. 
• Then add parsley, thyme, salt and pepper and mix it well

• Let it cook until cauliflower is tender, about 15-20 minutes.
• Now, transfer the mixture to a blender and puree it. Take care while handling the hot mixture.
• Return the puree to the pan and let it simmer for another 2-3 minutes

• Garnish with some parsley and serve hot

Tortilla Soup

            Soups are loved by everyone. And personally, both me and my husband, love having soups for dinner. They are light, tasty and nutritious. So I keep trying to make different varieties of healthy soups every now and then. Today, I tried making a Mexican specialty, the Spicy Tortilla soup.

            Tortilla soup is easy to make and is healthy and rich in fiber and protein. The best part about soups is you can customize them in a number of ways. You may add more vegetables to it, or more chillies or skip the chillies altogether. So here is my take on this Mexican delicacy.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 cup finely chopped Onion
• 1 cup finely chopped colored Bell Peppers
• 4-5 minced Garlic cloves
• 3-4 chopped Green Chilies/Jalapeno peppers
• 1 cup yellow Corn
• 15 Oz/425 gm kidney beans (I used black beans)
• 1/3 cup Cilantro chopped
• 1 tbsp Cumin Seeds
• 4 cups Vegetable Broth
• 2 tsp Lime Juice
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/2 cup Shredded Mexican Cheese (Optional, omit it for Vegan Soup)
• 3 Tortillas

Instructions:

• To make the tortilla Strips, preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Cut the Tortillas in strips and place the strips on a cookie sheet or any baking pan. 
• Place them in the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until they are crispy.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan, and add the cumin seeds to it.
• Once the seeds start to crackle, add the garlic and the chilies and saute it for a minute.
• Now, add the onions and saute them till they are translucent. 
• Then add the bell peppers and corn to it and stir for about 4-5 minutes.
• Now add the vegetable broth. If you don't have broth, you may add water too.
• Add the cooked beans and mix well.
• Then add salt, pepper and lime juice and mix them well
• Reduce the heat, cover and let it simmer for 10-12 minutes
• To serve, pour some soup in a bowl, garnish with Cilantro, Cheese and the Tortilla strips and serve hot