When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I’m feeling sad
I simply whip up one of my favorite soups and then I feel...FABULOUS!

In case ya didn’t know, I live in Minnesota, and it can get a tad nippy here during the winter months. I could boohoo about that, but I don’t boohoo about that because the winter brings other pleasures. Namely, soup.

I know many of you have been clamoring for me to tell you about soup for years now. I get messages almost every other day, "Oh, Mistress Ginger, you glamorous cabaret diva living life in the fast lane! Please, please, please tell us all about...soup."

Alright already! Here it is.

These soups (and stews and chowders) are staples for me through the colder months, and lots of them can be found in my cookbook. In case you don’t have my cookbook yet for some strange reason, I’m sharing a few of these soups right here on my blog. Lucky you!

A while back, I shared my friend Jo’s recipe for Bean and Barley Chowder. Remember that? That's another staple for me. It's not only ridiculously good for you, but it's also amazingly creamy and undeniably delicious.

The three recipes I'm sharing with you today are quite special, each in their own way.

The Miso Sexy Soup is my vegan version of chicken soup with supremely wholesome ingredients and bursting with flavor. Then, if you should be craving something in the realm of Italian comfort food, there's Mama's Pasta e Fagioli. And finally, the Cosmic Curry Stew has mesmerizing blend of Indian spices along with hearty red lentils and potatoes. Absolutely sumptuous!

If you enjoy adding these recipes to your culinary arsenal, I hope you'll snag a copy of my cookbook, where you can find additional recipes of this ilk. (And take note for those of you who do have my cookbook already, I've modified some of these recipes just slightly, as taste buds do evolve.)

I hope my favorite soups become your favorite soups, keeping you nourished and nimble through the holiday season and beyond. With love from your Mistress!

Miso Sexy Soup

Yields 4 servings

Me so sexy. You so sexy. We so sexy. Feeling better now? No? Well, if it’s more than a communal ego boost you’re seeking, have a steaming bowl of my marvelous miso soup. I’ve concocted this vegan version of chicken soup with some truly healing ingredients. Loaded with greens, beans, and grains, this hearty soup can serve as a potent one-pot meal that’ll help you feel like your sexy self again in no time flat.

2 cups salt-free cooked or canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup chopped onions
½ cup peeled and diced carrot
¼ cup diced celery
1½ tablespoons minced garlic
1½ tablespoons minced fresh parsley, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
4 cups salt-free vegetable broth
4 cups water
2 cups cooked brown rice
2 tablespoons chickpea miso
¼ cup nutritional yeast
3 cups chopped kale (cut into bite-sized pieces)

The time has come for me to sex you up. To begin, I’ll have you put the chickpeas, onions, carrot, celery, garlic, parsley, ginger, broth, and water in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the rice, cover, and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Scoop ¼ cup of the broth into a small bowl. Add the miso and whisk until the miso dissolves.

Add the miso mixture, nutritional yeast, and kale to the pot. Let the soup simmer until the kale is tender, at least 5 minutes. Get to slurping and feeling sexy.

Miso glad we had this time together.

Per serving: 349 calories, 15 g protein, 3 g fat (1 g sat), 69 g carbohydrates, 336 mg sodium, 146 mg calcium, 11 g fiber

Mama’s Pasta e Fagioli

Yields 6 servings

This creamy soup has a special place in my heart. It’s just like Mama used to make, except that I replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth. Many of our beloved foods are already vegan or nearly so. I prefer to make this soup more like a stew by adding less of the optional pasta cooking liquid. The creamy goodness flavored with pungent garlic and divine rosemary makes for the ultimate comfort food. Bellissimo!

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup peeled and diced carrot
2 tablespoons minced garlic
4 cups salt-free vegetable broth
2 (15-ounce) cans salt-free great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons salt-free tomato paste
1 tablespoon dried rosemary, crushed
8 ounces pasta (medium shells or orecchiette)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Nondairy parmesan cheese, for garnish

Lovers of Italian cooking unite! (And lovers of Italian descent give me a call.) Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat for 30 seconds. Add the carrot and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the broth, beans, tomato paste, and rosemary. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to medium and cook uncovered for 30 minutes. (A guy named Giovanni actually did just call. He said he’d like to come over for dinner.)

While the bean mixture cooks (and Giovanni is on speakerphone), prepare the pasta. Before draining, be sure to set aside 2 cups of the pasta water. Drain and rinse the pasta.

Stir the pasta into the bean mixture, dilute with the pasta water to the desired consistency, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until Giovanni is able to get there and, if desired, garnish each serving with some nondairy parmesan.

Per serving: 494 calories, 18 g protein, 8 g fat (1 g sat), 92 g carbohydrates, 130 mg sodium, 188 mg calcium, 23 g fiber

Tricks of the Trade
Serving a gluten-free lover? Use gluten-free pasta. Duh!

Cosmic Curry Stew

Yields 8 servings

Heaven is here on earth, as you will soon discover once you take a bite of my out-of-this-world red lentil curry stew. Sumptuous is the word. Transcendent is the effect. Dig in and take flight!

2 teaspoons curry powder
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground dry mustard
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
4 cups water
2½ cups chopped onions
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1½ cups dried red lentils
2 cups peeled and cubed potatoes
1½ cup full-fat coconut milk
1½ teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Ground control to Major Tom, put your helmet on in preparation for making this dish. (My helmet, of course, is adorned with fuschia gemstones.) Combine the curry powder, cardamom, cinnamon, dry mustard, allspice, and turmeric in a small bowl.

Heat ½ cup of the water in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the spice mixture and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Add the lentils, potatoes, and the remaining 3½ cups of the water. Stir and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the lentils are very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Commencing countdown, engines on.

Add the coconut milk and salt. Decrease the heat to low. Stir and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with pepper to taste. Lift off!

Per serving: 193 calories, 7 g protein, 8 g fat (8 g sat), 30 g carbohydrates, 446 mg sodium, 37 mg calcium, 9 g fiber