soup's on!

I made 2 kinds of soup today, with good results:

French Lentil Soup with Tarragon and Thyme: This is just absolutely excellent. I made the following adjustments: I used a can of no salt added diced tomatoes instead of the chopped plum tomatoes, I used three times the fresh herbs instead of the amount of dried herbs called for (and stirred them in at the end, to preserve their flavors,) and I did not add the bouillon or salt until the very end, because you're not supposed to salt legumes until they are fully cooked. (Salt toughens their skins and makes them harder to cook.) My only complaint about this soup is that it is a little salty. I'd taste it after you add the bouillon, before adding any additional salt. Overall, this recipe is going to be a mega-keeper for me! I love the Post Punk Kitchen.

I also made Miso Soup. I can't for the life of me remember where I got the recipe from, but it's from somewhere on the great, wide internet. I didn't follow the directions exactly, and I added some ingredients. Here's what I did, for four servings:

1. Saute 1 small onion, diced, 1/3 cup grated carrot, and 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion in 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil until soft.
2. Add 4 cups of vegetable broth, 2 tablespoons of shelled edamame, 2 teaspoons of white miso (soybean paste,) and 2 teaspoons of tahini. Bring everything to a boil.
3. Stir in 1/4 a package (about 1 serving) of soba noodles, broken into 1-inch pieces, and half a package of firm tofu, pressed and diced small. Reduce the heat and simmer the soup, covered, until the noodles are done. Taste and add salt if needed.

Now, I have to say, I wasn't terribly excited about the Miso Soup when I first tasted it. It tasted kind of . . . blah. But the more I eat it, the more I am enjoying it. I would now refer to it as "subtle." Like all soups, it must get better with age.

I'm just so stinking glad I made the decision to explore vegetarian cooking, and then quit eating meat all together. I probably never would have tried to make either of the above recipes before I broadened my horizons!