The New York Times recently ran a recipe for “a simple broth with a mild kick,” full of heart-healthy garlic. The recipe looked like a great vegan alternative to chicken stock, so I decided to give it a try. The recipe is very simple, but a bit time consuming as the broth needs about an hour of simmering time to develop flavor. Aside from being a vegetarian option for preparing soup, this recipe also gives you complete control of the fat and sodium content (no mystery “msg” ingredients here). In total, I used less than 1/2 of a teaspoon of sea salt (a little salt is required to bring out the taste of the broth, as is a small amount of fat from the olive oil).  

The recipe called for a bouquet garni, which is basically herbs tied together with kitchen string and allowed to simmer in a dish to impart flavor. By tying the herbs together, it makes them easier to find and remove before serving. Since the broth already needs to be strained, I skipped that step and just tossed the herbs into the stock pot. Smashing the garlic cloves slightly allows the flavor and healthy benefits to steep into the broth, but do not chop or the broth will be too strong.

Simple Garlic Broth
adapted from the New York Times

5 cups water
2 heads garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
1 fresh bay leaf
2 fresh sage leaves
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
salt, to taste

Separate garlic cloves and smash each one slightly. Peel garlic cloves and cover with water in a large stock pot. Add olive oil and herbs. Bring to a boil over high heat.

Reduce heat and simmer, covered tightly, for 1 hour. Remove from heat and strain, discarding herbs and garlic. Add salt, about 1/4 or 1/8 of a teaspoon at a time, whisking and tasting between additions.

If not using immediately, allow to cool to room temperature before storing, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Yeilds about 1 quart of garlic broth.

Instead of discarding the garlic, consider using in another recipe. The softened cloves will mash into a paste and would be great to mix into mashed potatoes or hummus.

As I mentioned during Econofest, Everyday Food magazine has started featuring recipes utilizing pantry staples and budget food items. This recipe came from one of those articles, with a few adjustments to accommodate the items I had on hand. Quick and easy, this is a great meal for a weeknight dinner.

Spaghetti w/ Sausage & Cabbage
from Everyday Food

Salt and pepper
8 oz spaghetti
1 tsp olive oil
1 lb sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 head Savory or green cabbage, halved, cored, and thinly sliced
1 tbsp white-wine vinegar

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot. Set aside.

While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook, breaking up sausage with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to a plate and set aside.

Using pan dripping, add onion and as much cabbage with fit. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until tender, tossing occasionally and adding more cabbage as space becomes available, 6 to 10 minutes.

Add sausage and cabbage mixture to pan with pasta. Toss with enough pasta water to create a sauce. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in vinegar. Serve immediately.

Here is a global twist to an old classic, pairing traditional Asian cuisine flavors with simple ingredients like chicken and pasta. This recipe is from Cooking Light magazine, and makes a great side for a vegetable stir-fry. Please enjoy the next recipe for Soupified.

To prepare lemongrass, peel the outside layer away and discard. Smash the ends (a meat tenderizer works well) to release the oils and infuse the flavor into the stock. You only need to pound lightly and do not break the stalk, as you will need to remove before serving.

Asian Chicken Noodle Soup
adapted from Cooking Light

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp minced garlic, 5-6 cloves
1 tbsp grated ginger
2 stalks fresh lemongrass, peeled and smashed
2 cups water
2  (14 oz) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1  lb chicken breast,  cut into bite-sized pieces
4  oz  uncooked angel hair pasta
1/2  tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 green onions, thinly sliced

Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic, ginger, and lemongrass; saute 3 minutes. Add water and broth; bring to a boil. Add chicken and pasta; cook 5 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove from heat; stir in remaining ingredients. Let stand 5 minutes. Discard lemongrass.

From Cooking Light magazine, this is a great recipe to bring to holiday dinners that incorporates sweet potatoes and apples without being overly sweet or too dessert-like. Made in any casserole, it is also easy to transport this dish without mishaps. I added cinnamon to the recipe to add a bit of warmth and compliment both the apples and sweet potatoes.

Allow bread slices to set out for a couple hours to dry and make better crumbs.

Sweet Potato & Apple Gratin
adapted from Cooking Light

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 tsp lemon juice
4-5 small sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp melted butter (unsalted)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 slices dry bread, crusts removed
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400F and coat a 13×9 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Combine apples with lemon juice in a large bowl and toss. Add sweet potatoes, maple syrup, butter, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Toss and spread mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring once half-way through baking time.

Tear up bread slices and place in a food processor or chopper. Pulse until small crumbs form, and add olive oil and nutmeg. Pulse to combine. Sprinkle over sweet potato mixture and bake an additional 15 minutes, or until top is golden brown (if needed, drizzle with additional olive oil to prevent burning). Let stand for 10 minutes before serving, allowing baking juices to thicken.

Using the Google News search function (from this Econofest post), I found this soup recipe from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. A healthy vegetarian recipe, most of the ingredients for this soup are pantry staples and inexpensive produce. In the article, it is suggested that a serving of this soup only costs $1.29 if you already have the spices and olive oil on hand. If you have a perfectly stocked pantry, however, it will cost even less! It seems appropriate to debut the new Soupified project with a budget-friendly recipe to close out Econofest.

Please enjoy this spicy and savory soup offering, chocked full of warmth and goodness. Each serving has plenty of protein as well as tons of veggies, making it a wonderful meal in a bowl.

Gypsy Soup
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

2 tbsp olive oil
2 sweet yellow onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 cup diced green bell pepper
1 tbsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
dash cayenne pepper (about 1/8 tsp)
1 can (14-16 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cans (15 oz) chick peas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
2 vegetable bouillon cubes, dissolved in 4 cups water

Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, sweet potato and celery, and saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stir in bell pepper and spices. Saute another 3 minutes. Add tomato, chick peas, and vegetable stock. Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper.

Above: Sweet potaoes, celery, garlic, and onions, chopped and ready to become soup.

Above: Paprika, turmeric, dried basil, cinnamon, and a dash of cayenne pepper give the soup its spicy warmth and smokey flavor.