It’s (finally) sweater weather!
There are two seasons I love more than any other — Spring and Fall. And for good reason. My reasons may or may not be entirely fashion-based. No judgment, right? But really, I’ve been waiting all September and October to start wearing my cozy layers and chic boots.
Ask me what my other reason for loving fall is … Soup! Yes, soup. It’s socially acceptable to have a steaming bowl of soup for lunch and dinner every day and it just makes me so happy. I have no shame having soup every single day all Fall/Winter long. As my love for soup has grown, so did my need to find a way to transport my soup to work and still be able to heat it up to almost-but-not-quite-burning-your-mouth temperature. I tried almost everything– Even bringing soup in a coffee thermos. About a year or so ago, I found this lightweight, portable, microwavable, Campbell’s soup mug at Bed Bath and Beyond. It has changed my life ever since. P.S. it even comes with a breathable lid.
I’m especially partial to homemade soups. I know exactly what I’m putting in there, and can make them as healthy or hearty as I’m feeling. My favorites include: Loaded Baked Potato Soup, Carrot Curry Soup, Chicken Noodle Soup, Roasted Cauliflower and Green Pea Soup, Nacho Corn Soup and French Onion Soup in no particular order. Most recently though, I’m in Love with Roasted Eggplant Tahini Soup. Love with a capital L. I mean, eggplant is my jam. Roasted to perfection, mixed with onions, coriander and smooth tahini then blended down. I’m drooling just thinking about it.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil +1 tablespoons for roasting
- 4 whole eggplants, cut into quarters
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1-2 garlic cloves
- 4 cups Low Sodium chicken or Vegetable Broth
- 1 teaspoon Coriander (optional)
- 1/4 cup tahini paste
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- Fresh, chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F
- Pierce the eggplants with a knife 3-4 times and place on a large baking sheet
- Brush with olive oil and bake for 30 minutes, until they can be easily pierced with a fork
- Using a spoon, scoop out the eggplant flesh and set aside. Discard the skin
- In a medium soup pot, heat one tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat
- Add the onions and sauté until translucent
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant
- Add the eggplant flesh and stir (add optional coriander here)
- Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil
- Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes
- Use an immersion blender to smooth to your desired consistency. NOTE: You can also blend the soup using a standing blender. Have another empty pot available. Using a ladle, spoon the soup into the blender and blend until smooth. Then return to the pot. Use the additional pot if you have too much liquid for the standing blender.
- Stir in tahini and lemon juice and heat on low for 5 minutes
- Serve warm topped with toasted pine nuts and chopped parsley or cilantro
