What to Make & Eat This Week

Turning the page from December to Veganuary

Hard to believe, but it’s almost time to say good-bye to 2024. Doesn’t 2025 sound futuristic? In reality, it seems to me like so many things have gone backwards, if anything, from just a decade or two earlier. Sigh … what can we do to make the best of the present and look to the future with hope and a degree of optimism.

Despite January being— let’s face it — a pretty gloomy month, it still stands as a well-worn metaphor for new beginnings. It’s also Veganuary, the international movement that launched in 2014, encouraging people to pledge to eat vegan for the 31 days of January. I’ll be using the opportunity to talk more about the virtues and pleasures of veganism, starting in the regular Wednesday edition.

For now, we’re in a kind of gray zone, food-wise — getting to the end of the holiday season, yet not quite in back-to-work and back-to-work mode. And in case you don’t make it to the end of this newsletter, I want to wish you a safe, peaceful New Year’s week, and all the very best for the year ahead.

This week, we’re going to make …

• Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup

• Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Chickpea Salad

• Vegan Hoppin’ John (Black-Eyed Peas & Rice) — because of course,
  we need a plant-based version of this traditional New Year’s Day dish

• Jalapeño Cornbread

Bonus recipes — two delicious roots-centered soups from Vegan Soups and Stews for All Seasons.

Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup

A longtime favorite in our family of broccoli enthusiasts, this vegan cream of broccoli soup is easy and omforting It’s a great winter warm-up, yet is welcome any time of year.

Complete the meal: This goes well with olive hummus wraps with greens and avocado. Or, serve with any favorite vegan sandwich or wrap. Try a vegan grilled cheese sandwich with tomato or tart apple between layers of cheese. Even easier — fresh bread and a simple salad.

This recipe makes 6 servings. For more tips and the printable recipe card, see the full post.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 32-ounce carton low-sodium vegetable broth

• 5 to 6 cups coarsely chopped broccoli, florets and peeled stem

• 1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

• 15- to 16-ounce can great northern or cannellini beans

• 1 cup unsweetened nondairy milk, plus more as needed

To finish the soup

• 2 cups finely chopped broccoli florets

• 1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill or parsley, plus more for garnish

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh or bottled), or more to taste

• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the oil or broth in a soup pot and add the onion. Sauté over medium heat until translucent, then add the garlic. Continue to sauté until the onion is golden.

2. Add the broth and broccoli. Bring to a slow boil, then cover and simmer gently until the broccoli is tender but not overcooked, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the beans and half of the green peas. Continue to cook just until everything is nicely heated through.

3. The easiest way to puree this soup is to simply insert an immersion blender into the pot and puree until as smooth as you’d like it to be. You can also leave it a bit chunky. If you don’t have an immersion blender, transfer the mixture to a regular blender and puree (don’t over-process!), then transfer back to the soup pot. Add enough nondairy milk to give the soup a medium-thick consistency.

4. To finish the soup, add the remaining green peas, the finely chopped broccoli florets, dill or parsley, and lemon juice. Stir together, then season with salt and pepper. Cook over very low heat for 5 minutes longer, or until the added broccoli florets are tender-crisp, then serve.

Variations

• Make this soup with cauliflower, or a combination of cauliflower and broccoli, following the same instruction as above.

• Use a 14-ounce tub of soft tofu in place of the white beans.

• Make it a cheesy broccoli soup by adding 1 to 1 1/2 cups meltable vegan cheese .