3 medium onions, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

5 cloves garlic, minced

4 medium beets, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

4 to 5 medium carrots, cut into 1/2- inch dice

3 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

½ medium celery root, or 2 parsnips peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 cup chopped dill plus several teaspoons for garnish

2 quarts chicken stock or vegetable stock

2 # tomatoes diced  or 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes with their juice

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sour cream,  or strained full fat yogurt or creme fraiche for garnish

Over low heat, heat a heavy bottom soup pot,  Add butter or butter-oil mixture. Add onion and garlic; sauté until soft but not browned.

Increase heat to medium-high and add beets, carrots, celery, celery root and half the dill. Sauté, adjusting heat as needed, until vegetables are cooked, but not brown, about 20 minutes.

Add stock and tomatoes with their juice, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook until vegetables are soft, about 45 minutes.

Blend 3/4 of the soup with an immersion stick or blender. Add orange zest and juice, and remaining dill. Season with salt and pepper to taste. To serve, ladle into bowls and top each with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of more dill.

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Cucumbers are good sources of phytonutrients (plant chemicals that have protective or disease preventive properties) such flavonoids, triterpenes and lignans, have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits.
2-3 Coarsely chopped Garden Cucumbers ( about 2 pounds) (reserve half of one cucumber to be chopped for garnish on top of the soup at the end)
Use peels and seeds: The peel and seeds are nutrient-dense. They contain fiber and beta-carotene. And…Beta carotene is an antioxidant that helps with immunity, skin, eye and the prevention of cancer.
1 1/2 cups Plain 100% Grass Fed Yogurt *
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 small shallot, chopped
1 garlic clove
1/3 cup loosely packed dill and 2 tablespoons tarragon or or basil or cilantro ( if you love cilantro)
1/4 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Salt to taste
1/2 leek thinly sliced or onion, finely chopped

Place all in a blender: chopped cucumber with the yogurt, lemon juice, shallot, garlic, herbs ( dill, parsley, basil, cilantro or tarragon- but not too much tarragon (2 Tablespoons, as it is strong) and the 1/4 cup of olive oil. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and white pepper, cover and refrigerate. This actually tastes best the following day as the flavors meld. Season the soup again just before serving. Pour the soup into bowls. Garnish with the finely diced cucumber, red onion and a drizzle of olive oil and serve.
* Yes, grass fed yogurt makes a difference! Cows that are outside eating grass and soaking up the sun are healthier cows than cows living in a barn eating silage and corn. You are contributing to a healthier work and a healthier life when you eat products form grass fed cows! We recommend straining the yogurt with a fine mesh strainer to produce a thick authentic greek yogurt. This will give your cucumber soup a thicker richer consistency.

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Preheat oven to 300˚.
Clean the seeds by rinsing away any meat from the pumpkin. Pat dry.
Toss the seeds with the cinnamon, vanilla and salt until well coated.
Spread evenly on a cooking sheet & cook in oven for about 30 minutes.

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Blend everything in the blender and serve with garnish!

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1/2 cup olive oil or butter
2 leeks
2 onions
3 carrots
3 ribs celery
2 pounds pumpkin or winter squash, seeded and cut up into 2” pieces
8 cups stock (veggie, chicken or beef)
6 sprigs thyme
4 cloves minced garlic
1 bunch Swiss chard
6 medium tomatoes, or 2 cups tomato sauce
4 Tbsp. minced parsley

Heat olive oil or butter in heavy bottom pot and add leeks, onions, carrots and celery, or puréed vegetables you made earlier.
Add pumpkin or squash, broth or stock, thyme and garlic and simmer until cooked.
Add tomatoes or tomato sauce and parsley. Adjust seasonings and serve.

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For a brilliant green taste and color, let this soup cool completely before blending in the spinach.

6 medium leeks, about 3 lbs.
4 Tbsp. butter
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
8 cups chicken broth or water
1 lb. Swiss chard or spinach, chopped
Salt and pepper
½ cup crème fraîche or yogurt (optional)
2-3 Tbsp. thinly sliced chives, for garnish
2 Tbsp. thinly sliced tarragon, for garnish

Soup
Using a blender, purée the chard or raw spinach with half of the broth. Add a bit more of the broth and purée to a soup consistency. Add the leek purée. 
Working in batches, add the puréed soup to a pot and heat it through just before serving, to preserve the bright green color. 
Garnish each serving with a tablespoon of crème fraîche  or yogurt and a sprinkling of chives and tarragon.

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Trim the woody ends from the broccoli (reserve for stock). Chop broccoli and cauliflower into 2 inch pieces. In a medium stockpot, add the oil over medium-high heat. When warm, add the shallots and leeks and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add the chopped cauliflower and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the chopped broccoli, salt, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the reserved broth and simmer until the broccoli and cauliflower are  tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.

With a hand-immersion blender or in batches in a food processor, puree the soup until smooth. Adjust the seasoning, to taste. Serve with reserved raw vegetables. Or reserve and reheat until the soup is warmed through.

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• 3 leeks, white and pale green parts, rinsed and finely chopped
• ½ cup finely chopped white onion
• 2 lbs. Jerusalem artichokes, peeled and rinsed
• 5 cups water or vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• Crispy Sage Leaves
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 to 12 fresh sage leaves

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the leek and onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the Jerusalem artichokes, water and salt and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat, cover and simmer until the artichokes are tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Transfer the mixture to a blender and process until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings if necessary. Gently reheat before serving.

To crisp the sage leaves, heat the olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and sauté until just crisp, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Garnish each serving of soup with a couple of the sage leaves.

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