2-Step Avocado Soup

"Hot enough for ya?" Before this week's scattered thunderstorms, Washington DC had reached a sweltering and sticky 99 degrees. Fortunately, that's when we hopped on a plane and headed far south, as in South America! We kissed the hot weather goodbye and landed south of the equator in Buenos Aires, where their winter was just beginning.

We have lots to tell you about the food there, but once we returned to flip-flop season in the States, we decided it probably wouldn't be an ideal time to share that recipe for comforting Argentine stew.

So, instead we're arming you with a soup to help you stay cool. With summer just beginning, the worst is still ahead of us. It won't be long before we'll be doing everything we can to beat the heat, including leaving the stove and oven OFF as much as possible. That's the glory of this decadent, yet relatively healthy recipe. There's absolutely no cooking required! Plus, depending on how thick you make it, it can double as a spread on your sandwiches or tacos!

Btw, we'd normally suggest topping it with a little summer tomato, but considering tomatoes are literally on our $%#@ list these days, we've got a few other garnishes that are perfect stand-ins.

2-Step Avocado Soup
serves 4

3 avocados
3 cups vegetable stock
2 Tbsp lime juice, or to taste
zest of 1 lime
1/4 cup scallions, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
pinch of green chili powder (or 1 Tbsp canned chopped green chilis)
salt to taste

Garnish with:
scallions, sliced on bias
cilantro, chopped
plain yogurt

1. Puree avocados, vegetable stock, lime juice, zest, chili powder, and salt until smooth.

2. Garnish and serve immediately*.

*Note: This soup may be made ahead up to two hours. To avoid discoloring just press plastic wrap directly onto the soup, making sure to fully cover the entire top layer.

Print this recipe!

14-Carrot Soup

Want to get something nice for your honey on Valentine's Day, but can't splurge on diamonds or pearls? This 14 carrot soup is a lot less expensive and much more heartfelt. Everyone knows that the best way to your sweetie's heart is through their stomach, so pull up your sleeves, grab an apron and get chopping!

I received Alice Waters' newest book, The Art of Simple Foodfor Christmas this past year (thanks Nick and Debra!) and I've had a hard time putting it down ever since. Waters preaches cooking simply, buying locally, growing our own ingredients whenever possible, and really taking the time to taste and appreciate the food that nourishes our bodies.

The pure, delicate expression of carrot really shines through in this soup without being masked by other flavors, and the recipe can be used as a basic formula for any number of other vegetable soups. With only 6 ingredients (plus s & p), it's a snap to throw together even for the most amateur cook. Not only is it the perfect start to a romantic dinner, but you can do the unexpected and serve it in wine glasses, like we did with these stemless blue flutes!

If carrots aren't your stew, then maybe you'd like to revisit the Chocolate Rose Petal Soup Adrienne made last year for dessert. Locals might see this as an opportunity to indulge in a few extra chocolate bars at ACKC on 14th Street. (Those outside the region can order some of their inventory online, but probably not in time for V-Day).

Whatever you do, I hope this post encourages you to stay in and cook for (or with) your sweetheart. Take some time out together to discover the nuances of the simple things that are so often overlooked and under-appreciated...Your Valentine will be glad you did!

14-Carrot Soup
Serves 4-6

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
2 onions, sliced
1 sprig fresh thyme or 1 pinch dried thyme
14 carrots, peeled and sliced (about 6 cups)
6 cups vegetable broth
(I used 6 cups water and 3 vegetable bouillon cubes)
salt and pepper

1. Melt olive oil and butter in a heavy-bottomed pot and add onions and thyme. Cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until tender and golden.

2. Add carrots and 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and continue to cook for about 5 minutes to build flavor.

3. Add broth, bring to a near boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, until carrots are tender.

4. Adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper to taste and puree.

5. Press through a sieve for an elegant, velevety texture.

Optional garnish:
Créme fraîche
Fresh herbs such as chives, tarragon, or parsley

Recipe adapted from The Art of Simple Foodby Alice Waters

West African Peanut Soup

Happy Belated National Soup Swap Day! We were delighted to see a record 50 soup swaps are or were scheduled to take place across the country (and one in the UK) this month or next. Be sure to check out Knox's official site www.soupswap.com for full coverage of all the soup swap action! It sounds like everyone enjoyed sharing stories and swapping some delicious soup!

For those of you who'd been asking about our next soup swap, don't worry. Your invitation wasn't lost in the mail, we just decided to postpone ours until next month. We'd both been under the weather and then I was traveling. When we do have our event, you can count on hearing about it here and on soupswap.com.

Plus, it's never too late to host a swap of your own! As Eleanor at Amuse-Bouche points out, a little effort on your part will pay off in a big way by filling your freezer with a wonderful assortment of soups to savor for the months ahead. Go get your soup on!

Even without hosting a swap this week, we still managed to have some soup simmering on the stove. We've been on a mission in the new year to eat healthier foods and cut back on cream, meat, white flour and sugar. I figured it would be a great time to pull out one of my favorite cookbooks, Sundays at Moosewood Restaurantfor a little inspiration. This vegetarian cookbook features recipes from across the globe.

With co-workers from Senegal and the Ivory Coast, I'm always excited to hear about what they're cooking at home. My friend Moustapha mentioned a peanut soup he'd thrown together with fish and chicken, so this West African vegan version seemed like a good bet. I'm a big fan of peanut butter and since peanuts are actually good for you, I couldn't wait to try it. Next time I'll make my own peanut butter, but this time around I used what I had on hand from the store. This all natural version contained only two ingredients: peanuts and salt. The way it should be!

West African Peanut Soup

Click here to print this recipe!

Serves 6 to 8

2 cups chopped onions
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 serrano chili, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger root
1 cup peeled and chopped carrots
2 cups peeled and chopped sweet potatoes
4 cups vegetable stock

2 cups canned whole peeled tomatoes or tomato juice
1 cup peanut butter (chunky)*
1 Tbsp sugar (optional)
salt to taste
1 cup chopped scallions
chopped peanuts
hot sauce (optional)

1. Saute the onions in the oil until just translucent. Stir in the cayenne and fresh ginger. Add the carrots and saute a couple more minutes. Mix in the potatoes and stock, bring the soup to a boil, and then simmer for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

2. In a blender or food processor, puree the vegetables with the cooking liquid and tomatoes. Return the puree to a soup pot. Stir in the peanut butter until smooth. Taste the soup. Its sweetness will depend upon the sweetness of the carrots and sweet potatoes. If it's not there naturally, add just a little sugar to enhance the other flavors and add salt to taste.

3. Reheat the soup gently, using a heat diffuser if needed to prevent scorching. Add more water, stock, or tomato juice for a thinner soup.

4. Serve topped with plenty of chopped scallions, chopped peanuts and hot sauce to taste.

*Use homemade peanut butter or a store bought brand made only from peanuts and salt; nothing else!

Adapted from Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant