It’s January, and it brings a huge amount of healthy eating options - one of which is veganuary.
Veganuary involves eating more plant-based food and cutting out animal products from your diet for the first month of the year.
According to experts, going vegan can be a very tough decision to make, especially if you are coming from a diet with meat in it.
So, if you are one of those who are practising veganuary or one of your family members, we have the perfect vegan soup recipes that you can try.
Soup is one of many people’s favourite food groups. Soups are comforting and warm; they are easy to make and hard to mess up, and they tend to be very affordable, so they’re great when you’re on a budget. Plus, soup keeps well as leftovers, so you can make a big pot to last you through the week.
Speaking to pioneering Zimbabwean vegan chef, Nicola Kagora, who is also known as chef Cola, she said trying a plant-based diet for a month can change your life and the environment around it drastically.
“For example water reduction globally, and environmental uplifts.
“You start to see physical benefits to your body, health conditions such as weight are better controlled through the vegan diet, and chronic diseases are better improved via plant-based diets.
“Vegan food gives us more energy to go about day to day tasks, you become part of the solution, not the problem, and a voice to the voiceless.
“Veganism naturally stirs you towards an animal, environment, and climate action.
“You not only change your life but the loved ones around you also slowly start to take better care of themselves,” said Kagora.
Here are some amazing plant-based soup recipes to try out.
Curry lentil soup
Ingredients
2tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion diced
4 cloves garlic minced
1tbsp ginger minced
1tbsp curry powder
1 ½ cup red lentils
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 ½tsp salt
4-6 cups of water
200ml coconut milk
Method
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
Saute onion, garlic, and ginger until onion is translucent.
Add in curry powder and cook for about two minutes.
Add in red lentils, stir and cook for about two minutes.
Pour the can of crushed tomatoes into the red lentils with water and salt. Stir well so all the ingredients are combined.
Bring to simmer and cook for twenty minutes until the lentils are tender.
Add in coconut milk and stir. Lower the heat and cook for another ten minutes.
Serve warm with lemon juice.
Recipe by Unicorns in the Kitchen.
Easy Korean kimchi soup
Ingredients
1 onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic
2cm fresh ginger
1 cup of kimchi
5 cups of broth or water
1 Thai red chilli, whole
½ package of GF pasta
1block of medium tofu
1tbsp of GF tamari
1 cup of cut-up broccoli
Method
Heat onion in a tablespoon of oil for 4 minutes, until transparent, then add garlic and ginger and cook for another minute.
Add broth, kimchi, red chilli. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes for flavour to develop.
Then add broccoli, tofu, tamari. Simmer for another 5 -10 minutes (depending on how crunchy you like your broccoli).
Season to taste.
Serve with noodles, fresh green onions, and black sesame seeds.
Recipe by Vegan Chef Ron.
Corn potage soup
Ingredients
1 yellow onion and garlic, finely chopped
2tbsp yellow miso paste
2 medium chopped potatoes
Two cans of corn (or frozen corn)
1 cup chopped cauliflower florets
1 cup cashew milk (blend ¼ cup soaked cashews with filtered water)
Finely chopped parsley
Sauté onion and garlic with one tablespoon of miso, garlic powder, and pepper.
Method
Add in potatoes, corn, and cauliflower, after a few minutes add two cups of water and more miso to your liking.
Let cook for 10 minutes.
Add cashew milk and more water until desired consistency is reached (about one cup).
Blend with an immersion blender.
Add in handfuls of finely chopped parsley, and more to the top. Enjoy!
Recipe from Vegspirationfeed.