recipe: belgian endive & roasted garlic soup

I usually use this blog for music adventures and reading & writing endeavors, but I am almost as passionate about food and cooking as I am about literature and art, so I want to include a recipe of mine that I am proud of. I believe that what we eat affects who we are, and how we eat is an incredibly important part of our lifestyle. As a vegetarian cook, I am always looking for new and exciting ways to make food and eat. A good friend and I won a crockpot in a chili cook-off we participated in last week, and he let me keep it, so I had to try it out right away! The following recipe is one that I have made before on the stove, but I was curious to see how well it could convert to a slow cooker. The results were fantastic, so I must share! I have found that this recipe is an excellent vegetarian replacement for homemade chicken-soup, it's naturally flavorful spice clears the sinuses and warms the belly- a perfect comfort food, especially when sick.

You need:
a large-slow cooker
one large onion, or two shallots
a head of garlic
3-4 belgian endives
6-8 cups vegetable broth
drizzle of olive oil
1/2 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. paprika
1 tbsp. red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Do this: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Cut the top off of the garlic and drizzle olive oil over it. Roast the garlic whole in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour. Meanwhile, combine your broth and spices in the slow cooker, diced the onion and endives and throw them in. When your garlic is roasted, let it cool (so you don't burn your fingers!) and pull it apart, adding the roasted garlic to the pot. Let the soup cook for 6-8 hours. It is best to eat with fresh bread to soak up the delicious broth! Top with a little grated parmesan or asiago cheese if you desire. Boom. Dinner.

Alternatively, if you wish to make this soup on the stove, be sure to brown your onions in the pot before adding the broth, and let the soup simmer for 1-2 hours.