Many people have wondered about the viability of a Vegan diet in preventing chronic health debilities and creating a health oriented meal plan that deflates the blood pressure while trimming your waist line along the way! Nutrients, such as Fiber, protein, calcium, and potassium are vital for warding off high blood pressure and should be incorporated in our daily diets. If you are a proponent of the vegan way of living, but are craving a bowl of cozy, creamy, comforting soup, here are some amazing recipes to keep you warm this fall. Loaded with delicious vegetables that’ll keep you full at any meal, these soups are a winner.
Mixed Bean Soup
Recipe makes 8 servings
Prep time: overnight
Cook time: 40 M
INGREDIENTS:
Soaked beans
- 2 quarts water
- 1 tbsp. kosher salt
- 20 oz. dried bean mix, rinsed
Soup ingredients
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 (15 ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 1 carrot, peeled and diced
- ½ tsp. Kosher salt
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. ground coriander
- 1 tbsp. chili powder
- 6 cups water
- 1 tbsp. fresh ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt to taste
Preparation
Start by soaking the beans overnight in water and add salt. Allow the beans to soak overnight or at least 8 hours. Heat oil in a pan and add garlic, celery, carrot, onion, and salt. Sauté for about 8 minutes or until the onion softens and becomes translucent. Stir in coriander and chili powder and sauté for a minute, until the brew is aromatic. Toss in to the electric pressure cooker. Drain and rinse the beans. Place in the beans in to the pressure cooker, add bay leaves, tomatoes, and water and close the lid. Lock the lid on the pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Turn off the cooker and allow the steam to release naturally, for about 20 minutes before opening the lid. Pick out all the bay leaves and discard. Puree two cups of the liquid and beans and add to the cooker. Stir until the soup thickens and take off the heat. Serve hot.
Bean and Barley Soup
Recipe makes 6 servings
Prep time: overnight
Cook time: 30m
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup white beans, soaked
- 1 cup pearledbarley, uncooked
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 large onion, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 2 tbsp. oil
- ½ cup Cauliflower
- 2 medium-sized carrots, diced
- 8 cups water or vegetable broth
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 1/4 tsp. celery salt
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 large bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp. basil
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1/2 tsp. thyme
- 1/2 tsp. oregano or Italian spice mix
- 1 tsp. onion powder
Preparation
Start by soaking the beans overnight in water and add salt. Allow the beans to soak overnight or at least 8 hours. In a pan, sauté the garlic and onion in oil for a minute, then toss in carrots, cauliflower, and the salary. Cook for 5 minutes. Add to the pressure cooker. Stir in the beans, barley, onion, celery, vegetable broth, tomato paste, salt, pepper, bay leaves, celery salt, basil, thyme, oregano, and onion powder. Lock the lid on the pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Turn off the cooker and allow the steam to release naturally, for about 20 minutes before opening the lid. Pick out all the bay leaves and discard. Serve hot.
Pressure Cooker Lentil Soup
Recipe makes 4 servings
Prep time: 10m
Cook time: 20m
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup dry lentils, rinsed and picked
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ large onion, chopped finely
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 5 oz. fresh spinach leaves
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation
Select Sauté and sauté the garlic and onion in olive oil in the pressure cooker, until the onions are translucent. Toss in the celery, ground cinnamon, and carrots and cook for a minute. Stir in the bay leaves, vegetable broth, and lentils, and tightly close the lid of the pressure cooker. Cook on a high pressure setting for 20 minutes. Wait for the pressure to be released before opening the lid. Stir in the spinach and let it wilt in the heat of the soup. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
Lentil Orzo Soup
Recipe makes 6 servings
Prep time: 10m
Cook time: 25m
INGREDIENTS
- 1 ½ cups brown lentils, rinsed
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 carrots, diced
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 30 oz. diced tomatoes
- 2 cups roughly chopped baby spinach
- 4 cups water
- 1 tsp. garlic salt
- 2 tsp. cumin
- 2 tbsp. dried parsley
- ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp. pepper
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ cup orzo
Preparation
Select Sauté, heat oil in the pressure cooker and sauté carrots and onions, until the onions turn translucent and the carrots are tender. Add garlic and stir for a minute. Add salt, pepper, parsley, red pepper flakes, garlic salt, lentils, water, broth, tomatoes, and cumin. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook on high setting for 10 minutes. Turn the pressure off and let the steam escape (or use the quick pressure release) before opening the cooker. Select the simmer setting and add orzo. Simmer until the lentils and orzo are tender, about 10 minutes. Add spinach and wait until the spinach wilts. Serve hot.
Quick Black Eyed Peas Soup
Recipe makes 5 servings
Prep time: 10m
Cook time: 20m
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups dried black-eyed peas, picked over and rinsed
- 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 large garlic clove, finely minced
- 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
- Tabasco or cayenne pepper, to taste
- 10 oz. frozen (defrosted) slice okra
- Salt, to taste
Preparation
Select Sauté and heat oil in the pressure cooker. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the broth and black eyed peas, and close the lid of the pressure cooker. Select higher pressure and set the cook time to 10 minutes. Turn off the pressure cooker and use the quick pressure release to let the steam escape before it is safe to open the lid. Add the okra and carrots and season with salt and tobacco. Select simmer, and simmer for 3-5 minutes, until the carrots and okra are tender. Serve hot.
Lentil and Bulgur Soup
Recipe makes 5 servings
Prep time: 10m
Cook time: 25m
INGREDIENTS
- ¼ cup Bulgur wheat
- ¼ cup rice
- 1 ¼ cups Lentils
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 2 tbsp. paprika
- 1 carrot, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp. paprika
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Tobasco sauce or cayenne pepper, to taste
Preparation
Heat the butter and olive oil in the pressure cooker. Add onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes or until it turns soft and translucent. Stir in tomato paste, paprika, carrot, garlic, and celery. Cook for about 7 minutes, until the vegetables are golden and tender. Add bay leaves, vegetable stock, bulgur wheat, rice, and lentils. Lock the lid of the pressure cooker and the set the pressure to high. Cook for about 12 minutes. Release the steam by turning the pressure regulator to the steam release position. Pick out and discard bay leaves. Season the soup with salt, pepper, and Tobasco sauce. Garnish with toasted croutons and serve hot.
Spanish Chickpea Soup
Recipe makes 6 servings
Prep time: 10m
Cook time: 1H
INGREDIENTS
- 1 ½ cups dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
- 1 ½ cups chopped onion
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 4 oz. Spanish chorizo, diced
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 ½ cups fat-free, lower-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 ½ cups water
- 6 cups chopped escarole
- 2 bay leaves
- 3/8 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tbsp. sherry vinegar
- ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper
- ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Heat the oil in the pressure cooker. Add onions and sauté for 3 minutes. Add chorizo and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Add bay leaves, chickpeas, broth and water, and close the lid of the pressure cooker. Set the cooker to high pressure and cook for 1 hour. Remove the steam through the steam vent before opening the pressure cooker. Remove lid and discard the bay leaves. Stir in red pepper, ground black pepper, sherry vinegar, salt, and escarole. Stir until the escarole leaves wilt in the heat of the soup. Serve hot.
Lima Bean, Barley, and Vegetable Soup
Recipe makes 6 servings
Prep time: 10m
Cook time: 40m
INGREDIENTS
- 1 ½ cups onions, chopped
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 3 ribs celery, sliced
- 15 oz. tomatoes, diced
- 4 cups water
- 1 cups dried lima beans, dried
- 1 ¼ tsp. dried Italian herb
- ½ cup pearl barley
- 4 large carrots, trimmed and scrubbed
- 1 small bunch kale, coarsely chopped, stems sliced
- 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
- Salt, to taste
Preparation
Heat olive oil in the pressure cooker. Add celery and onions, stirring frequently until the onions are lightly browned. Stir in the Barley, beans, dried herbs, kale stems, tomatoes, water, and broth. Add the carrots and kale leaves. Lock the lid of the pressure cooker in place and set the cooker to high pressure setting. Cook for about 20 minutes, lower the heat, and set the timer for additional 15 minutes. Gradually engage the quick release to dissipate the steam before opening the lid. If the beans are not properly cooked, allow the soup to simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in vinegar and salt. Serve hot.
