The two keys to making this trio of colorful pureed vegan soup shooters is roasting the vegetables and a quick and tasty 30-minute homemade vegetable broth. Pureed soups are a great way to create delicious and healthy meals on the quick which can easily double as a main course or appetizer.

All of this weeks ingredients I personally harvested from Breckenfeld Family Growers, which I had the pleasure of being invited to this past weekend. If you’ve never had such an experience, I highly recommend it. While many locals may assume that visiting a local farm includes an hour drive out in dusty rural areas where smart phones receive no signal, I’m here to tell you that’s far from true.

More than a dozen pesticide-free farms reside within city limits. It’s quite the experience to meet and visit with your local farmers to not only see where your food comes from, but to also feel comfortable that pesticides and insecticides are not being used.

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Leaving the farm with my large canvas bag overflowing with fruit, vegetables, pecans and herbs, I knew I wanted to make something for all of you that could display a variety of the day’s harvest, including the sunchokes. Native to North America, many have never heard of these tasty tubers, much less had them for dinner. With a delicious, nutty, potato like flavor, slicing them thin and baking them into a crunchy chips gives great contrast to our soups.

For those of our you who love to indulge in great food, but can’t free up the time to cook just yet, don’t fret. I’m equally impressed with Tucson’s farm-to-fork restaurant, Food For Ascension Cafe. They prepare two freshly made soups, daily, along with their several varieties of homemade bread, including the seeded loaf, pictured. And as always, be sure to tell them Tucson Foodie’s Vegan Vixen sent you!

Roasted Carrot & Thyme Soup

• 10 roasted carrots*
• 1  roasted onion *
• 2 roasted garlic cloves*
• 4 cups of vegetable broth*
• 1 inch of peeled ginger*
• 3 sprigs of Thyme*
• 1 tbsp olive oil*
• 1/4 tsp black pepper*
• ground pecans as garnish*
• 1 tsp sea salt

Toss vegetables in olive oil, salt, pepper and oven roast at 350 degrees for 30 minutes while ginger and herbs are simmering in vegetable broth. Add all roasted vegetables to broth, allow to cool, blend all ingredients and serve.

Broccoli Leek Soup

• 1 large broccoli bunch or 1 1/2 lbs*
• 1 large leek(white & light green part)*
• 1 peeled potato*
• 3 cups of vegetable broth*
• 2 roasted garlic cloves*
• 1 tbsp olive oil*
• 1/4 cup of unsweetened nut milk or cream (optional)*
• 1/2 tsp black pepper*
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt

Toss leeks, potato and garlic in olive oil, salt, pepper and oven roast at 350 degrees for 30 minutes while broccoli simmers in vegetable broth. Add all roasted vegetables to broth, allow to cool, blend all ingredients and serve.

Roasted Tomato Fennel Soup

• 3lbs roasted tomatoes*
• 1 large roasted fennel bulb*
• 3 roasted celery stalks*
• 2 roasted garlic cloves*
• 2 cups of vegetable broth*
• 1/2 cup of unsweetened nut milk or cream (optional)*
• 1 tbsp olive oil*
• 1/2 tsp black pepper*
• 1 tsp sea salt

Toss vegetables in olive oil, salt, pepper and oven roast at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Add all roasted vegetables to broth and allow to cool. Blend and serve.

Homemade 30 minute Vegetable Broth

• 2 onions, leeks (all parts)*
• 3 celery stalks with leaves*
• 3 carrots*
• 5 roasted garlic cloves*
• 8 cups of water
• 2 bay leaves*
• sprig of Thyme*
• 1/2 tsp black pepper*
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Rough chop vegetables and sautee in olive oil for 5 minutes until softened. Add water and herbs, bring to a boil, then cover to simmer on low for 30 minutes. Freeze any unused portions.

Sunchoke Crispy Chips

• 2lbs sunchokes*
• 1 tsp olive oil*
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Thinly slice, toss in olive oil and sea salt and place on a baking sheet. Bake 350 degrees for 25 minutes, turning over halfway through until golden.

* Indicates Organically Grown

Many thanks to Breckenfeld Family Growers, Garden’s Best Farm and Rattlebox Farm for making this meal possible.