Dutch Oven Mushroom Beef and Barley Soup

I LOVE Sundays.  I love that I get to sleep in (sort of).  I love that I can make pancakes or scones or muffins for breakfast, not something I can do during the week, and I love hanging out in my pajamas!  I also LOVE Sunday dinner.  Gathering around the table with your loved ones and sharing a good meal has got to be just about one of the best things on earth. 

The last time we got together I got to make a big pot of this warm, hearty soup.  It was the perfect remedy for a cold and blustery day.


Beef and Barley Soup
1 1/2-2 lbs. beef stew meat or chuck roast, cubed
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 Tbsp. butter
3/4 cup onion, finely diced
3/4 cup celery, finely diced
3/4 cup carrots, finely diced
8 oz baby bella mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. fresh thyme
1/2 cup red cooking wine
4 cups beef bone broth, low-sodium
3-4 cups vegetable broth, low-sodium
2/3 cup barley, rinsed


In a Dutch Oven, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat until rippling. Add the onion, carrots and celery.  Reduce heat to medium and saute until onions are soft and translucent. Remove to a bowl and set aside.  Add about a half of a tablespoon of butter and another small drizzle of olive oil to the pan.  Add the mushrooms and saute until soft.  Remove and set aside as well.

Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil and beef cubes and saute until browned on each side.  Add veggies back in, the garlic and fresh thyme.  Saute about a minute, until fragrant.  Add tomato paste and red wine.  Increase heat to high and bring to a boil to scrape up any bits on the bottom of the pan.  Add broth and barley and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to simmer and cook about 45 minutes.

Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.  Serve warm



SOURCE:  Slightly adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Skinny Broccoli Soup with Sourdough Croutons

This winter has been the longest, snowiest and coldest winter we've had in a LONG time! I walk around my house with layers of clothes and still freezing.  I am really looking forward to spring and wearing less clothes! In the mean time, I've been making lots of soup to keep me warm.

My middle daughter started asking me to make broccoli soup a few weeks ago. It kind of caught me off guard because I don't remember her ever actually eating or wanting broccoli soup.  I don't know where she got the idea that she liked it.  Buuuuut I was gonna take FULL advantage of that.  You know when kids even think they might like something, it's so much easier to get them to eat it! 

I actually made two attempts at broccoli soup.  The first one, a pretty simple and classic recipe, bombed!  My kids wouldn't touch it.  So I decided to tempt fate and try again.  Inspired by this Zucchini Spinach and Basil Soup, I tried again and scored!!  They were brave enough to try it again and liked it. And as a bonus, this one is much much healthier.


Skinny Broccoli with Sourdough Croutons
olive oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups zucchini, choped
3 cups broccoli, chopped
2-3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
3 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
1-2 cups cashew milk (in the carton)
salt and pepper, to taste
 parmesan or cheddar cheese for topping, optional

for the croutons:
1 sourdough loaf or boule
butter

In a large pot heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion and saute about 7-8 minutes, until soft and translucent.  Add garlic for another 60 seconds then add zucchini broccoli and saute another couple of minutes.  Add broth and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer 8-10 minutes; until veggies are very tender.  Remove from heat and add spinach.  Stir to wilt.  Use an immersion blender to puree soup, or working in batches, puree in blender.  Add milk and more broth, if desired.  Add salt and pepper, taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.   Top with cheese, if desired, and sourdough croutons.

To make croutons, cut about half of the sourdough loaf or boule into 1-inch cubes.  Melt 1-2 Tbsp. butter in a large frying pan, add croutons and toss to coat.  Season with a few dashes of salt and cracks of black pepper.  Saute on medium high heat until they start to turn a light golden brown.

Skinny Zuppa Toscana

I know that really the "official" start of winter was only like a month ago but seriously, this winter is already dr...a....g..g....i...n...g!  It's been the coldest and snowiest we've had in Utah for a LONG time. Needless to say, I'm always looking for something to warm me up.  I walk around the house in warm fluffy socks, slippers and a jacket and always drinking some warm tea.  I'm also always looking for warm comfort food to get me through the nights.

 It's been a while since I've had Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana. In fact I don't know if I've ever eaten it at the restaurant, my husband and I swore it off years ago.  I enjoy the soup but the original is not so calorie friendly, with all the potatoes, pork sausage and heavy cream.  I was so happy to find a recipe that is not only much more healthy but exploding with flavor.  This soup doesn't miss a beat and satisfies every warm comfort food craving I had. 

Skinny Zuppa Toscana
1 lb. Italian chicken sausage
1/2 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium head of cauliflower, chopped in to bite-sized pieces
3 small russet potatoes, peeled and small-diced
4 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups cashew milk
4 cups fresh kale, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.  Remove sausage from casings and add to frying pan along with onions. Cook until sausage is no longer raw and both sausage and onions are light golden brown.  Toss in the garlic the last 60 seconds.  Remove from pan and set aside. 

Bring chicken stock to a boil in a stock pot, then add cauliflower and potatoes.  Cook until tender; about 5-8 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, remove half of the cauliflower and potatoes and puree in a blender with a little stock.  Return to pot. 

Add turkey, onions and garlic back to the pot as well the kale, parmesan, milk and red pepper flakes.  Heat through, until the cheese is melted, making sure not to boil.  Taste for seasoning then add salt and pepper, to taste.  Serve immediately.


SOURCE: Adapted from With Salt & Wit

Roasted Green Pozole with Chicken

Mmmm, fall is in the air.  I'm extatic!  Time to start baking everything with pumpkin, drinking hot chocolate every night and making gobs of soup! I LOVE soup.  My kids pretty much only like the homemade tomato or taco soup variety but we may have to do something about that soon.

Pozole, also spelled Posole, is right up there as one of my favorite soups. This is my third and definitely my favorite posole on the blog (see here and here for the others).  Pozole is a traditional Mexican soup using a rich brothy base with meat, usually pork or chicken, garnishes such as cabbage, salsa, lemon or lime, and it's staple: maize, or hominy.  There is also the red variety made with tomatoes and the green variety, made with tomatillos and peppers. If you can't tell by the color, this posole is verde!

This soup gets it's start by roasting the vegetables, giving it that little bit of smokiness.  Then while it's simmering away with the broth and chicken, you can prep your garnishes. The garnishes are almost my favorite part, they really brighten up the soup and give it a fresh element that is not only eye appealing but mouth appealing too!

Roasted Green Pozole with Chicken
1/2 cup roasted, salted pepitas (green pumpkin seeds), plus more for garnish
1 tsp. cumin seeds, toasted
olive oil
3/4-1 lb. tomatillos, peeled and quartered
3 garlic cloves, whole and peeled
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
1 jalapeño, halved and seeded
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried oregano
3-4 cups chicken broth (homemade preferred)
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs*
1 24-oz can hominy, drained

Garnishes:
roasted, salted pepitas
cilantro
avocado
thinly sliced radish
thinly sliced cabbage
fresh lime
crumbled cojita cheese (or similar) 

*Note: I used bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, just removed the skin before cooking. Either way works fine.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Place tomatillos, garlic, onion and jalapeno on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss with your fingers.  Bake about 15 minutes or until veggies begin to char.

 While veggies are roasting, toast the cumin seeds in a small frying pan over medium-high heat until they become fragrant; 2-3 minutes.  Grind pepitas and cumin seeds in a spice grinder until finely ground, set aside.

Drizzle olive oil in the bottom of a dutch oven and heat over medium high heat.  Add chicken and cook a minute or two on each side then remove and set aside on a plate. 

Once veggies are done roasting, cool slightly and slide everything into a blender jar. Add half the cilantro, the salt and blend until desired consistency.  Add another little drizzle of olive oil to the dutch oven then pour in the contents of the blender.  Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently and scraping off the brown bits from the bottom. Add chicken broth, ground pepitas and cumin, oregano and hominy.  Stir to combine.  Gently place the chicken thighs in the pot and simmer, uncovered, about 20 minutes.  Taste for seasonings and adjust as necessary.

Serve warm with desired garnishes.



SOURCE: Adapted from Not Without Salt

Smoky Black Bean Chili

I know it's summer time and hot, hot, hot! But my oldest daughter has fallen in love with chili since eating it at a friend's house recently.  I don't know about you, but I'm so over the dinner time struggle!!  I know I still have to deal with it for years to come, but hey, if I can find a few more healthy things my kids like that I can add in to the dinner rotation, I'm all over it.  My middle daughter already LOVES this black bean soup, as well as taco soup, so I didn't think it would be hard to get her to try this delicious chili!  Plus, you can totally eat it with chips.  That always gets their attention, haha! To my surprise both girls told me they didn't like the chili, they LOVED it!  I was so happy, I literally jumped up and down with them.  Dinner time was happy time that night.

This chili, like most soups, is open to a little interpretation.  I didn't add a ton of heat because I knew my three littles would be eating most of it.  I wanted to add a couple chipotles in adobo during cooking but I knew it would be too spicy, but feel free to do so.  Instead, I decided to just use the chipotle tabasco sauce on the side instead; my husband loves that stuff anyway and puts it on everything.  Whatever you do, don't leave out the smoked paprika, ginger ale and cocoa powder!! They lend such a unique element to the dish, I think that's why I loved it so much.

This chili would be lovely served with some cornbread, fresh tortillas or even hot cooked rice.


Smoky Black Bean Chili
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 onion, finely diced
1 red pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 cups ginger ale
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
3 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can RoTel
1 can diced or crushed tomatoes

garnishes:
sour cream
shredded cheese (cheddar, monterey jack, mozzarella or my personal favorite smoked cheddar)
cilantro
diced avocado
chipotle tabasco sauce
tortilla chips

Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan or Dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add onion and ground beef and cook until onions are translucent and beef is browned.  Drain off all but a tablespoon or two of the fat.  Add chopped red pepper, garlic, salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, cocoa powder, oregano, smoked paprika, and brown sugar.  Sauté 2-3 minutes, until fragrant. Add ginger ale, tomato sauce, black beans, RoTel and tomatoes to the Dutch oven.  Stir to combine.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook about 15-20 minutes.

Serve warm, with desired garnishes.

Etta's Black Bean and Ham Hock Soup with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Last summer my family and I made the long trek to Seattle to visit my brother and his family.  Near the end of our trip I was trying to think of some kind of souvenir to bring home.  Nothing came to mind.  I mean, I could have brought home a dozen Top Pot donuts, but I don't think they would have lasted, honestly.  Then I remembered my friend told me that she always bought a cookbook, featuring local fare, when visiting other places.   Since we didn't have time to go cookbook shopping, I jumped on amazon when we got home and found not one but two great cookbooks.  The first was the Macrina Bakery & Cafe Cookbook, a carb and breakfast-lovers dream (me!!), and the second was Tom Douglas' Seattle Kitchen.  Anyone familiar with Seattle knows that Tom Douglas is where it's at when it comes to food.  Owner of Etta's Seafood, Dahlia Lounge and Palace Kitchen, how could I not buy one of his books!!

So, remember I said our trip was LAST summer??  Yeah, it's taken me that long to start going through all the recipes I've bookmarked.  The other day I grabbed Seattle Kitchen off the shelf and this recipe popped out and I almost immediately made it. 

I'm pretty sure you'll find that ham and bean soup is delicious comfort food almost anywhere you go.  I grew up eating just a basic ham and bean soup, but this one will knock your socks off. It is still a super simple, healthy and delicious meal to make but the extra flavors and roasted salsa on top take it just over the top. 

Tom Douglas said this soup has been on the menu at Etta's for lunch and dinner every day since the restaurant opened!  If it's good enough for him, it's definitely good enough for me.


Black Bean and Ham Hock Soup with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
2 cups dried black beans, picked over and rinsed
12 cups chicken stock, or more if needed
1 smoked ham hock (check local butcher or save your own when you buy a ham)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped carrots, half-inch dice
1/2 cup chopped celery, half-inch dice
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 cups drained canned tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp. tomato paste
2 tsp. coriander seeds, toasted and ground
2 tsp. cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. smoked paprika
3/4 tsp. cayenne, or to taste
juice of a lime
salt and pepper
1/4 cup cilantro

Place beans in a large pot with the chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook until beans are soft, about 2-3 hours (depending on freshness of beans).

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat and slowly cook the onions, carrots and celery until onions are golden and caramelized, 10-15 minutes.  Stir in the garlic the last minute of cooking.  Add the onion mixture to the pot of beans, along with the tomatoes, tomato paste, and ground spices. Continue simmering until beans are soft.

Pull out ham hock and remove fat and skin. Remove meat from the bone, shred or finely chop it and put it back in with the beans.  Season beans with paprika, cayenne, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper.

To serve: Ladle soup into bowls and top with sour cream or soft cheese, such as cojita, and a few dollops of tomatillo salsa. Also great served with cornbread.


Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
8 oz. (2 1/2 cups) tomatillos, husked, rinsed and dried
oliive oil
1 poblano chile or other mild green chile, such as Anaheim, roasted, peeled and seeded and finely chopped
1 Tbsp. finely chopped red onion
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp.  minced garlic
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (about half a lime)
1 tsp. seeded and minced canned chipotle in adobo
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Toss tomatillos in a drizzle of olive oil, place on a small metal pan and place in the oven, tossing a few times until lightly browned; about 10 minutes.  Allow to cool. 

Turn oven to broil.  Place poblano pepper on a small metal baking tray and place under broiler until skin is blackened slightly, about 5 minutes.  Flip pepper over and broil another 5 minutes or so.  Remove from oven and immediately place it in a container with a lid to cool.  Once cooled, skin easily peels off.

Chop cooled tomatillos and poblano pepper and place in a small mixing bowl.  Add the rest of the ingredients and taste for seasoning.  Adjust as necessary.  Best used the same day but will keep in the fridge, covered, for 2 days.



SOURCE: Tom Douglas' Seattle Kitchen

Tomato Vegetable Soup

'Tis the season for fresh garden tomatoes.  It's the time I look forward to every year! You can do so much with them.  I usually home can tomatoes in one way or another each fall (salsa, a variety of spaghetti sauces, etc.), but the past few years I've been doing more and more just plain or stewed tomatoes.  I do this mostly because I LOVE to turn them into soup.  My kids and I absolutely adore this fresh tomato soup, but sometimes I like to make something a little more calorie friendly.  Enter this soup.

I don't tend to like soups that are really thin, they just don't fill me up.  I like my soups thick and tasty. That's what this soup delivers.  It still has that fresh tomato taste but the flavor is punched up with some extra veggies.  I love to serve it up with some fresh artisan bread or even a heaping spoonful of this Southwest Cabbage Slaw (which really needs it's own post by now).

Tomato Vegetable Soup
6-8 cups tomatoes, blanched, peeled and cored
3 carrots, chopped
1 green pepper, cut into 1-inch dice
1 small onion, cut into 1-inch dice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. smoked paprika
 2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
handful of fresh basil (about 1/2 cup or so loosely packed), roughly chopped
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

To blanch and peel tomatoes, bring a pot of water to a boil and fill a sink with ice water.  Score the tomatoes by making an "x" on them with a serrated knife. Drop about 4-5 tomatoes at a time in the boiling water for 60 seconds.  Remove from boiling water and immediately submerge in ice water.  Continue with remaining tomatoes.  Once tomatoes are cooled skins will slip off easily. remove core with knife or coring utensil.  Set tomatoes aside.

In a  large pot, heat a drizzle of olive oil.  Add chopped onion, carrot and peppers and saute over medium-high heat about 5-6 minutes.   Add garlic and paprika and saute another 60 seconds, making sure the garlic doesn't burn.  Next add tomatoes by crushing them in your fist over the pot as you put them in.  Add chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until veggies are tender; about 10-15 minutes.

Remove soup from heat, add fresh basil and puree to desired consistency.  You can either do this with an immersion blender or in a upright blender, blending by batches.  Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper, to taste. Feel free to add a splash of whole milk or heavy cream, although it's delicious without it.



SOURCE:  Adapted from Season with Spice

Zucchini Spinach and Basil Soup

I remember reading about this soup sometime last year, maybe end of summer or fall.  It's from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  She called it "life-changing soup" because it's luscious and creamy without the cream! I bookmarked it for later but didn't think of it again until I got a recommendation from my sister who had made it and who's whole family loved it. That's all the push I needed to finally make it myself.  I mean, anything that's "life-changing" good has got to be worth it right?

If you have a garden and grow zucchini, this soup recipe will be your best friend.  I mean, there's only so much you can do with zucchini before you get tired of eating it.  ZUCCHINI is the secret ingredient in this soup that makes it silky creamy without the cream.

Now, I realize I'm posting this before most of you have even planted your gardens this year, but it's really a soup for any season.  It's delicious warm, but it is also yummy room temperature or even chilled, like a gazpacho. So make it now and eat it throughout the summer and fall.


Zucchini Spinach and Basil Soup
serves 4-5

Olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 onion, diced
2 medium zucchini, trimmed and chopped (about 4 cups)
2 cups chicken broth
3 cups fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste


In a large pot, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat.  Add the chopped onion and saute about 5 minutes, until nice and tender.  Add the garlic and zucchini and saute another minute or two.  Add the broth and bring to a simmer.  Cover, reduce heat and cook until zucchini is very tender and falling apart; about 8-10 minutes.

Remove soup from heat and add spinach.  Use an immersion blender to puree the soup.  Alternately you can work in batches pureeing the soup in a blender.  Check for seasoning and salt and pepper, to taste.  Stir in fresh basil.

Serve warm with baguette or homemade bread.


SOURCE: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ina Garten's Winter Minestrone

Now I realize that we have just entered into what is now officially spring and here I am posting about soup.  But spring in Utah is CRAZY!  You never know what you're going to get any given day.  And seriously the weather can change so quickly.  When I was living in Logan, many years ago, I remember it SNOWING on June 6th!!  That's practically summer.  We had a garden that year and I remember frantically going down to cover all the plants as quickly as we could so they wouldn't freeze and die.  We get it all this season, wind (and lots of it), rain, sun, snow and just about anything else. So, I'm not counting anything out just yet.

I'm a huge Ina Garten fan.  She is so classic and classy and she's got impeccable taste.  I trust any recipe of hers.  When I stumbled upon this recipe I immediately wanted to make it and knew I wouldn't have to tweak a thing to get the right taste.  And I was right.  Spot on.  If you think soup is boring or flavorless, you're going to be WOWed by this soup.  It has a very rich hearty taste and the fresh spinach and pesto at the end really finish it nicely.

Don't give up on soup just yet. We've still got plenty of chilly spring days that nothing but a warm bowl of soup can remedy.



Ina Garten's Winter Minestrone
serves 8-10 generously

good olive oil
4 oz pancetta (I had some diced ham in the freezer so I just used that)
1 1/2 cups yellow onion, finely diced
2 cups  (1/2-inch) diced carrots (about 3)
2 cups (1/2-inch) diced celery (about 3 stalks)
2 1/2 cups (1/2-inch) peeled diced butternut squash
1 1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic, about 4 cloves
1 tsp. dried thyme
28-oz. diced tomatoes
8 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup white cooking wine
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 15-oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup small pasta shapes, such as tubetti or ditalini
8-10 oz. fresh baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp. basil pesto

In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium high heat.  Add pancetta (or ham) and cook until slightly browned.  Remove to a plate.  Add another drizzle or two of olive oil (1-2 Tbsp.) then add onions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic  and thyme  and cook about 8-10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.  (I like to cook my onions about 8-10 minutes before the rest of the veggies so they are good and caramelized.)

Add tomatoes, wine, bay leaf, chicken stock 1 tablespoon kosher salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and let cook, uncovered for 25-30 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Meanwhile, in a separate pot, cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain, rinse and set aside.

When soup is ready, remove from heat, remove bay leaf and add the pasta, beans and spinach leaves.  Toss like a salad to mix in spinach leaves and let it sit until they begin to wilt. Stir in pesto and taste for seasoning.  Add more salt and broth as necessary.

Ladle soup into large bowls and serve warm.


SOURCE: Ina Garten

Marsala Chicken Mushroom and Barley Stew

Mmmmm....MAR.....SA.......LA......! Love that word.  Love the flavor even more.  I swoon at dishes that are infused with marsala.  Every time I see a recipe for Chicken Marsala, I think to myself, I'm going to make that "FOR REAL" this time. And then, of course, it gets put off until I completely forget about it...again.

I had Chicken Marsala once at the Olive Garden a very looooong time ago and I completely fell in love with it. Tried to make it at home a time or two and it didn't  really seem to fit the bill. But that was also a very long time ago.  My skills have much improved since then.  I haven't come back to it since but I still love to reminisce about how much I loved that dish back then. Granted if I went back today and ate there again, I doubt I would be as enamored with the dish as I once was (we've kind of sworn off OG).

Anyway, this stew is kind of a mix between one of my favorite dishes, Chicken Marsala, and one of my husband's favorite dishes, Mushroom Barley Soup.  It all came about on a cold and rainy day, perfect day for soup if you ask me.  I wasn't  exactly sure how the two dishes would come together but it turned out to be a winner. My girls even gobbled it up and that doesn't happen much.


Marsala Chicken Mushroom and Barley Stew
6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
8 oz cremini mushrooms, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 cup marsala cooking wine
4 cups chicken broth
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 cup quick cooking barley
fresh herbs for garnish, such as basil, or parsley



In a large pot, heat a couple drizzles of olive oil over medium high heat.  Add chicken thighs and brown on each side; about 2 minutes per side.  Work in batches if your pot is not big enough to hold all of the thighs at once.  Remove chicken to a platter.  Reduce heat to medium.  Add another drizzle of oil, if necessary, and add onions and mushrooms to the pot.  Cook until onions are translucent and tender.  Add garlic and cook another minute.  Add chicken back in, then add wine, broth, dried basil, salt and pepper.  Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook 10 minutes.  Add barley and cook another 15 minutes.

Ladle warm soup into bowls, garnish with fresh herbs and serve.

Black Bean Soup

This has been a favorite of ours for a few years. I had actually kind of forgotten about it until my 5 year old started asking me about "that bean soup that you crush the tortilla chips in."  It took me a minute to remember which bean soup she was talking about, because I was kind of shocked she was actually asking for bean soup!

I LOVE this soup for a couple of reasons.  First, it comes together so quickly and second, my kids don't fuss about it because there's no chunky things in it they have to fish out haha! (Not because they're not there though, because it's pureed they just can't tell.)  So sneaky, I love it.

The day after I made this soup my 5 year old asked me if there were any leftovers she could have for dinner.  She was ecstatic when I told her there was and then she ate two bowls full.  This is my daughter who LOVES junk food and candy, who will snoop out and find ANY piece of candy in the house if there is one.  This soup is definitely a keeper!

Black Bean Soup
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 medium carrots, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
1 small onion, diced
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1 3.5-oz can green chilies
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
2 15-oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups beef broth
1 bay leaf
1 lime, juiced
salt and pepper, to taste

optional toppings: sour cream, tortilla chips, shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, diced avocado


Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat.  Add carrots, celery and onion; saute about 5-6 minutes, or until onions are translucent and soft.  Add garlic and saute another 60 seconds.  Add green chilies, chili powder, cumin and oregano and cook about 1-2 minutes, until the spices are fragrant.  Add beans, broth and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, about 20 minutes. 

Remove soup from heat. Remove bay leaf from the soup.  Using a stick blender, puree the soup to your liking (you can leave is as chunky or smooth as you'd like).  Alternately you can work in batches pureeing it in a blender.  Squeeze in fresh lime juice and add in salt and pepper to taste.  Check for seasoning and adjust as necessary.

Ladle hot soup into bowls and add toppings as desired.


SOURCE: Our Best Bites

Crockpot Pork Posole

I seriously under-use my crockpot.   I don't even know why, but I just don't ever think of things to cook in it.  It really is  a wonderful way to cook up something warm and cozy, especially during the winter time when comfort food, warm and tasty are key words!

Anyway, I love soups and I love the flavors of Mexican-types foods; one of my favorites! So this posole is right up my alley.  It is nice and brothy with tender pork and veggies.  Also delightfully contrasted with a little bit of crunch from some freshly shredded cabbage and radishes.  Everything is topped with cilantro,  avocado and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.  What's not to love!!


Crock Pot Pork Posole
2-3 lb. pork shoulder roast
16-oz chicken stock
1 onion, sliced
1/2 head of garlic (no need to remove paper)
1-2 large jalapenos, cut in half and seeded
3 bay leaves
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 1/2 cups diced roma tomatoes
1 30-oz can hominy (yellow or white)
2 large carrots, diced
juice of a lime
salt and pepper

Garnishes:
thinly sliced radishes
shredded green cabbage
diced avocado
lime wedges
chopped cilantro

Cut roast into 3-4 pieces and place in crock pot. Liberally season with salt and pepper.  Layer onion, garlic and jalapenos over it.  Add the chicken stock, bay leaves and oregano.  Cook on high until roast is tender and falls apart.

Remove roast from crock pot and cool long enough to shred it.  Remove jalapeno and garlic, taking off skins.  Finely dice both and return to crock along with carrots, tomatoes, hominy and shredded pork.  Cook another half hour or so, or until carrots are tender.

Add lime juice.  Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper as desired.

Ladle hot soup into bowls and garnish as desired.


SOURCE: Adapted from Foodie Crush

Lemon Chicken and Orzo Soup

Wow,  last week was such a doozie!! Everyone was sick at my house, except my hubby.  My first-grader did not go a day of school and my preschooler missed 2 out of 3 days of her school.  I think I was in my pajamas most of that time, maybe only venturing out three whole times, only once doing my hair and makeup (sorry neighbors who had to see that, just keeping it real for ya!).

After so many days of nursing my sick ones (and my sick self) back to health all I wanted was a big ol' bowl of chicken soup.  Duh, I don't know why I didn't make it in the beginning of the week, then I could have eaten on it that whole time and not had to make a single other thing, haha!

As I stared at my big bag of lemons on the counter I remembered this soup that I had been wanting to make for years.  I mean, like it's been bookmarked in my Cooking Light Cook Book for I don't know how long; I don't know what the heck the hold up was.  

This soup is just as delicious and comforting as it looks and really is a cinch to throw together; even when you're sick!!


Lemon Chicken and Orzo Soup
olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 rib celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 chicken thighs, skins removed
1/2 cup white cooking wine
6 cups chicken stock
zest and juice of 2 lemons
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1 cup orzo pasta
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

In a large stockpot, heat a small drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add chicken thighs and cook about 3-4 minutes per side; remove to a plate.  Reduce heat to medium and heat another tablespoon or so of olive oil.  Add onion, carrot and celery.  Cook 5-7 minutes or until onion is tender and translucent.  Add garlic and cook 30-60 seconds.  Add cooking wine and deglaze the pan, letting it cook about a minute or two.

Return chicken back to pot, along with the stock, lemon juice and zest, oregano and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook about 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.  Remove chicken from pot and bring stock back up to a boil.  Add orzo pasta and cook about 6-8 minutes.

Allow chicken to cool just long enough that it can be handled, then shred it.  Once orzo is finished cooking, add the shredded chicken back in, keeping the soup on the burner until heated through.  Remove soup from burner, take out bay leaf and stir in chopped parsley.  Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as desired.

Serve warm.  Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 5 days.  Soup will thicken upon cooling and the orzo will start soaking up the liquid.  When reheating soup, just add a little extra water.

Thai Butternut Soup

If you haven't started making soup, it's time to get on that!!  We're having it at least once a week by now and I love it.  Soups are generally "soup-er" (haha) easy to make, take few ingredients and stretch a long way.  Plus, they can be pretty cheap as well.  This meal was literally pennies to make.  My mom gave me the squash, I used my own homemade stock and already had most of the rest of the ingredients already.   I only had to spend about $2.50 on the coconut milk and fresh lime. I also served the soup with some Artisan Bread, which is also pennies to make, which made for a delicious and very filling meal!

If you like curry even a bit, you're going to love this soup!  This is reminiscent of some of my most favorite curry dishes and so quick and easy!!


Thai Butternut Soup
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 small onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1-2 Tbsp. red curry paste
2-3 cups veggie stock
1 medium butternut squash, roasted
1 14-oz can full-fat coconut milk
juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste

garnishes:
chopped cilantro
chopped peanuts or dollop of natural peanut butter
splash of fish sauce


*Do ahead.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Chop squash in quarters and rub with a little oil (I used coconut). Place on a silicone-lined baking sheet and bake until soft; about 25-30 minutes.  Cool, then scrape out the flesh and set aside.  Discard skins.

In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt coconut oil and add onion.  Saute until soft and starting to turn brown and caramelize, about 10 minutes.  Add garlic, ginger and curry paste, stir and cook another 5 minutes or so.  Add in squash and about 2 cups of the stock and increase the heat a bit.  Bring to a low bubble and simmer about 5-10 minutes. 

Use an immersion blender to puree soup, otherwise use an upright blender working in batches to puree a bit at a time.  Return puree to pot and add coconut milk, lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.  Stir until well-incorporated.  Check for seasoning and add more stock if necessary.

Serve warm.  Garnish as desired.



SOURCE:  slightly adapted from How Sweet It Is

Fresh Tomato Soup

This soup is a staple at our house during the fall and winter months. At the end of summer when tomatoes are at their ripest, I buy boxes and boxes of them (when I don't have a garden) to preserve. A lot of the tomatoes I turn into salsa and spaghetti sauce. The rest I just peel and puree, then freeze in about 2 quart quantities. It makes preparing this soup a cinch, since most of the work is already done!! Even in the middle of winter, we can have this soup and it still tastes like it just came out of the garden. Simple, fresh ingredients are key to making this soup taste "soup"er.

Fresh Tomato-Basil Soup

8 cups (2 quarts) fresh tomato puree (about 10-12 vine-ripened tomatoes)

chicken soup base 

1 cup heavy cream (can substitute full-fat coconut milk for non-dairy)

Coarse salt and black pepper
20 leaves fresh basil, cut into chiffonade, for garnish

To blanch and peel tomatoes, bring a large stockpot of water to a boil. Fill a sink full of ice water. Working in batches, score the bottom of the tomatoes. Place in boiling water for 60 seconds. Remove immediately and place in ice bath. Repeat with remaining tomatoes.

Once tomatoes are cooled, drain water from sink. Core tomatoes and slip skins off. Puree tomatoes either with a food processor or working in batches in a blender. Don't worry If you have a little more or less than 8 cups.

Add tomato puree to a large stock pot. Add enough chicken soup base for 2 cups and bring to a boil. Once chicken base is completely dissolved, taste for seasoning and add more, to taste.

Gently simmer for about 5 minutes, add cream and simmer another 2-3 minutes. Taste again for seasoning and adjust as necessary. Remove from heat and add most of the basil, leaving some for garnish.

Serve warm.


*If you don't have access to fresh tomatoes, you can use 2 28-oz can of good quality crushed tomatoes (Cento, San Marzano).

Squash Soup with Carrots and Sweet Potatoes

I have finally found THE squash soup! I have been searching high and low for a squash soup that I really enjoy.  I have made several over the years that just were bland and boring and I did not care to ever make them again.  I think I love this soup so much because It's not just the typical squash and broth.  The carrots, sweet potato and apple really add to the flavor and it's just lovely.  Although pepitas are delicious and my favorite garnish, you could also garnish with a little pureed chipotle in adobo, creme fraiche, smoked cheese or even some fresh parsley or cilantro.

Squash Soup with Carrots and Sweet Potatoes

olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 1/2 pounds hard winter squash/pumpkin, peeled and chopped (I used 2 sugar pumpkins)*

1 lb. carrots, peeled and chopped

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 crisp apple, peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, grated

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. paprika

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

pinch of ground cinnamon

salt and pepper

4 cups chicken/veggie stock

1 Tbsp. honey

1 Tbsp. lemon or orange juice

 

In a large stock pot, drizzle a good amount of olive oil (2-3 Tbsp.) and heat over medium-high heat.  Add onion, squash, carrots, and sweet potatoes.  Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add apple, garlic and ginger, as well as the cumin, paprika, nutmeg and cinnamon.  Cook for about a minute or so.  Add chicken or veggie stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer until very tender. 

Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth. You can also puree in batches in a blender or food processor.  Check for seasonings and add salt/pepper and honey to your liking.  Squeeze a bit of fresh lemon or orange juice in the soup right at the very end.

Serve warm and garnish as desired:
1-2 tsp. chipotle in adobo (pureed)
creme fraiche
pepitas (toasted pumpkin seeds)**
smoked cheddar or other smoked cheese
chopped cilantro or parsley


*Sometimes it is difficult to peel hard winter squash.  Alternately, you can split the squash/pumpkin in half, remove seeds and bake on cookie sheet, cut side down, until tender.  Allow to cool slightly and scrape out flesh from skin.  Add to soup near the end when ready to puree.

**To toast pumpkin seeds, make sure you have the green ones to begin with.  Add a tiny bit of olive oil to a small skillet, a handful of seeds and a pinch of salt.  Toast over medium heat, gently moving them around to prevent burning, until they start popping and turning golden.


SOURCE: Lightly adapted from Rachael Ray

Vegan Broccoli Soup

 

Brrrr. This week has brought on the chill! Fall is definitely in the air.  But that makes it no better time to make some warm soup.

I love finding dairy-free options for creamy soups that don't taste....well, weird.  Some dishes can be "vega-fied" by using soy cheeses and such which I am just not a fan of, and it's not just because of their taste.  Remember how I said we've been switching our diet to more whole and plant-based foods and taking out the processed?  Well, although those soy products do not contain dairy, they are still processed, thus not being a whole food and contain...SOY (one of the most genetically modified foods).  So, I try to steer clear of those products.

This delicious soup gets it's creaminess from pureed cashews, which works amazingly well!  And it's even more healthified by tons of broccoli! This fits the bill for me in more ways than one.

 I crave soup practically all the time during the cold months, I'm glad to add another delicious one to my recipe box!

Vegan Broccoli Soup

1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water for 1 hour then drained

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 heads of broccoli, chopped into bite-size florets

1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground mustard

fresh ground black pepper to taste

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 Tsp. Worcestershire sauce (or vegan Worcestershire)

about 4 cups of water

Soak raw cashews in water for 1 hour.  Drain and puree in blender.  Set aside.

Steam broccoli until fork tender. Drain and set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium heat,  add olive oil, and onions.  Cook until onions are tender and translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for one minute more.  Add cumin, salt, mustard seed, and black pepper and cook for about 30 seconds.  Add cooked broccoli florets, water and cashew cream reduce heat to a simmer.  With an immersion blender blend soup until smooth.  Alternately, you could work in batches and blend it in a blender until smooth.

Add lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce and stir to combine.  Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.

Serve warm.  Soup will last, in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days. 

SOURCE: Adapted from The Three Day Cleanse via Joy the Baker

Split Pea Soup with Curried Brown Butter

So, just as I was hanging on to summer with my last post, I'm stepping into fall with this one!  I just love soups in the fall.  Not only are they a vehicle for an incredible amount of nutrition, they just warm you body and soul!

I know it's not technically fall yet and the weather is still reaching the mid 80's, so I take  chose the coolest day of the week last week (85 I think) to make this soup.  I was kind of holding my breath because I had no idea the kind of response I would get from my girls-it's green and kind of thick and maybe looks like something Shrek would eat (according to my kids anyway). Well, actually getting them to take the first bite was the hardest because they actually loved it! I was kind of in shock-not that it wasn't delish though, just that they ate it.

This is an absolutely delicious rendition of the simple split pea soup I ate as a child. Cooking the veggies in coconut oil really adds depth of flavor and gives it just a hint of coconut-divine!  You won't be sorry about the curried brown butter either-I mean who doesn't love brown butter? And the curry is the perfect spice for the peas.

I served the soup up with a sourdough baguette, but just about any other artisan loaf would be delicious as well.

Split Pea Soup
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, ghee, or extra-virgin coconut oil

1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 cup carrot, peeled and chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

5 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 1/2 cups green lentils or green split peas, picked over and rinsed
 1/2 cup coconut milk

Curried Brown Butter
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 tablespoon curry powder


Combine the 2 tablespoons coconut oil, onion, carrot, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a large soup pot over medium heat, stirring regularly, until the onions soften, a couple minutes. Add the vegetable broth and lentils and simmer, covered, until the lentils are tender. This usually takes 20 to 30 minutes, but can take as long as 50 minutes.



In the meantime, warm the 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and let it brown. When it starts to smell nutty and fragrant, stir in the curry powder and sauté until the spices are fragrant, less than a minute.



When the lentils are finished cooking, remove from the heat, stir in the coconut milk and 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and puree with an immersion blender. You can leave the soup a bit chunky if you like, or puree until it is perfectly smooth.

Stir in half of the curried butter, taste, and add more salt, if needed. Serve drizzled with the remaining curried butter.



SOURCE: Adapted from 101 Cookbooks, originally from Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Every Day.

Spicy Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup

I had to hurry and sneak this soup in while the weather is still in limbo. It's been unseasonably warm this winter and now that spring is on the verge, we've got snow in the forecast. Silly weather.

Anyway, whether the weather cooperates or not, you'll be happy you tried this soup. It is amazingly delicious! My husband and I couldn't stop eating it. It's also super fast to throw together. Make the soup while the rice is cooking and it will all be ready at the same time.

This soup gets it's kick from serrano peppers and it's slight sweetness from the coconut milk. The flavors balance out with the addition of fresh lime, ginger and basil leaves. Don't have shrimp around? Go ahead and switch it out for a couple of cut up chicken breasts.

Spicy Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 serrano peppers, seeds removed and finely diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. ginger, peeled and minced (or grate it on a microplane, if you have one, no peeling necessary)
5 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cans (13.5-oz) coconut milk, light or regular
3 Tbsp. fish sauce
2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
8 whole basil leaves, chopped into ribbons
zest and juice of 1 lime
1/2 lb. large shrimp, raw, peeled and deveined, tails Off (can Substitute 1 Cup, Chopped Raw Chicken)
Hot cooked Thai Coconut Rice (omit toasted coconut and cilantro)

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chili and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and the ginger. Stir frequently until you can smell the garlic, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth and coconut milk and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients and cook until the shrimp is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning to your personal preference.

Serve with a large spoonful of hot cooked coconut rice.


SOURCE: Adapted from Domestic Fits

Tortilla Soup with Southwest Cabbage Slaw

I don't know what happened to all the soup I used to make. I was so good last winter to make a pot of soup about once a week and we'd eat the leftovers over the next couple of days. This year I just haven't made it as much. Soups really are wonderful and generally easy and quick to throw together. You can usually sneak in lots of veggies too.

The last soup I made like this was your typical taco soup with hamburger and prepackaged seasonings, etc. This soup is definitely a step up from that has more of a WOW taste factor where tortilla soups are concerned. This soup is really easy to customize to your own tastes. For example, I chose not to use meat, but some grilled chicken might sit nicely on top. Or you could use different beans, different veggies, whatever strikes your fancy. While not all of this is as easy as opening up a can and dumping it in the pot, it is pretty easy and so tasty!

Oh and if you don't think you like cabbage, you might change your mind. The Southwest Cabbage Slaw is a great little topper that will add flavor and awesome texture to your soup.

Tortilla Soup
1-2 dried mulato or ancho chile peppers

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, smashed

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon coriander seeds (or roughly 2 tsp ground coriander)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
6 cups vegetable broth

2 cups frozen corn (or 14-oz can)
2 cups (14-oz can) black beans
2 bay leaves

4 sprigs fresh thyme
Kosher salt


Garnishes:
crumbled queso fresco

diced avocado

Fresh cilantro

Southwest Cabbage Slaw (recipe below)

Crush the dried chilies in a mortar and pestle until pulverized. Set aside. Alternately, you can place dried chiles in a small saucepan, cover with water and boil about 5 minutes. Drain, pull out stems and seeds then puree in blender, adding a small amount of water water as needed for a smooth texture.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add the onion and cook until the onion is translucent. Add garlic and cook about a minute longer. Add the tomatoes with their juice, 2-3 Tbsp. of the dried/pureed chilies, the coriander seeds and cumin and cook about 5 minutes. Add the broth, corn, beans, bay leaves and thyme and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook about 15-20 minutes.

Serve soup warm with you choice of garnish(es).

Southwest Cabbage Slaw
2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
2 c coleslaw mix or thinly sliced cabbage
2 green onions, chopped
1/3 c chopped fresh cilantro

Combine all into a medium bowl and mix well. Keeps in the fridge, covered, for about a week.

SOURCE:Adapted from Perry's Plate

Linked to...
Seasonal Sunday @ Real Sustenance
Potluck Sunday @ Mommy's Kitchen
Recipe Swap Thursday @ Prairie Story
It's A Keeper Thursday @ It's A Keeper