Soup

Warming Winter Vegetable Soup

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It’s been more than a while since my last post. There were many times when I prepared some food, took some pictures and wanted to write, but different seasons brought different prioritites and, well, just plain life happened.  But a constant has been my passion for yummy, whole and healthy foods and the art of preparing it.  Yes, art. No, I’m not a chef that prepares lovely food delicately plated to impress, but rather I love simple, earthy real food and it’s a creative outlet for me.

Over the years I have developed a list of well-being practices. I try and do at least one thing from my list each day to cultivate wholeness and self care.  Some days I’m lucky if I check one off the list and other days I’m able to fit in several.  One of the items on my list is cooking, chopping and shopping for ingredients.  It’s soul care, it brings me joy and life and I consider it a spiritual practice.  So on a busy day when I’m at home making up a quick meal, I try and stay present and enjoy the process.

This particular soup I made on a very snowy afternoon and chopping the vegetables and pulling out the dried herbs reminds me of the life that will come in the spring, but also grounds me in the present warmth and slowness of winter.  This is my favorite soup to make because it’s so versatile and you can literally make it your own and use what you have on hand.  I make it different every time.  It also freezes well and I eat this for lunch often.

Ingredients

olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 can of diced tomatoes

5 cups of vegetable or chicken stock

dried Italian herbs to taste

3-4 carrots, chopped

parmesan cheese rind (optional) or use 1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

misc vegetables- I like broccoli, kale, cauliflower, peas

1 can of beans if desired

pinch of hot pepper flakes to taste (optional)

Sauté the onion and garlic (along with salt and pepper) in a dutch oven or soup pot.  Add dried herbs to release the flavor.  Add the tomatoes, stock, carrots and parmesan cheese rind (or grated parmesan cheese) if using and simmer on low heat for 1-2 hours (or until carrots are tender).   Remove the cheese rind. Add other vegetables and beans if using and simmer until the vegetables are tender.  Add red pepper flakes or drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar to serve.

Creamy Asparagus Soup with Lemon

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I just love when the spring arrives and we can get fresh seasonable vegetables around every corner…literally, there are so many markets and farm stands to choose from in Lancaster County! Fresh asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables, much to the kids’ dismay.  I was reluctant to try this soup because I just love the simplicity of asparagus and fresh herbs sautéed in olive oil until just a little tender, yum!  I was really surprised how delicious and easy this soup is.  It tasted wonderful sitting outside on a beautiful spring day!

Ingredients

1 lb of fresh asparagus, tough ends removed and cut into 1 in pieces

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

salt and pepper

1 1/4 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

1 cup milk OR  1/4 cup half and half or cream

1/2 cup yogurt

juice from 1/2 lemon

sprinkle grated parmesan cheese

Place the asparagus and onion in a saucepan with 1/4 cup chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender. Puree in blender until smooth and set aside.

Melt the butter in the saucepan. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Allow the mixture to cook a few minutes, but do not let it brown.  Stir in the remaining 1 1/4 cup broth with a whisk until smooth and increase heat. Continue stirring until the mixture comes to a boil.

Stir the vegetable puree and milk (or cream) into the saucepan.   Whisk the yogurt, lemon juice and parmesan cheese into the mixture until just warmed.  Do not boil. Serve with some fresh herbs and enjoy!!

 

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Chicken, Brown Rice and Fennel Soup

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We’ve been experiencing an unseasonably warm winter here in PA…I’m not complaining.  I’m not a huge fan of the cold, but the cold weather does make warm comforting foods even more enjoyable.  This weekend I saw the first snow of the season while visiting up home in Central PA.  It was a dusting really, but a sign of the changing season.  I did find comfort in the tiny bit of snow this weekend…it felt familiar and predicable.  Seasons in life change and they are not always predicable…that’s both the beauty and struggle of our seasons.  But the difficult seasons are often the ones that produce the most beauty in the end.

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We bought a fall CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) this year for the first time.  I LOVE fall vegetables. We got fennel in the CSA and  while some people shy away from fennel because of the strong “licorice” scent, fennel is one of my favorite vegetables.  When it cooks, the licorice scent goes away and cooks similar to celery.  Fennel is oddly shaped.  There is a core in the center of the bulb that can be cut out and the rest of the fennel can be eaten- the bulb, the stalk and fronds.  I love to use fennel in stews, when roasting meats and in soups like this one!

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Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped

1 fennel bulb, cored and chopped

2 carrots, chopped

olive oil

6 cups of chicken broth

1/2  cup brown rice

2 cups cooked chicken, cubed

juice from one lemon

fennel fronds, chopped (optional)

salt and pepper

I modified this recipe from the book Savor by Shauna Niequist.  In a dutch oven, cook the chopped onion, carrots, fennel ( salt and pepper) in olive oil until translucent.  Add the chicken broth and brown rice and cook until 5 minutes before the rice is cooked through.  Add the chicken, lemon juice and chopped fennel fronds (optional) and cook until the rice is tender.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Enjoy for a light meal this holiday week!

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Sausage, Lentil and Kale Soup and Being Still

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As fall sets in, I am embracing the change in weather, the colors, the crisp cool air with autumn rituals of picturesque walks, warm drinks and sun filled windows that only fall can bring.  Fall is a time when things slow down. When the world is so loud, it’s nice to slow down and just be still and listen. That’s what fall has become for me, a season of being still.  Recently I started a ritual of just sitting in a park or outdoors once a week for 15 minutes and just being still…not trying to get in a quick walk, not catching up on emails or some reading, but just time to be still and present and take in what’s around me.  Some people are able to get this quiet time in the morning, but not me.  As soon as I get up, no matter what time, kids are right behind me and my day has started.  So I schedule it in my day just once a week.  It grounds me, it gets me ready to think well and feel deeply.  Maybe someday I will actually do this everyday, but for now in this season, 15 minutes in my week is what I have. Since starting this practice, I found that I’m taking bits and pieces of each day to be more present as a result of this intentional time.

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Usually I have a recipe I want to share, then I write a post.  But this time I started writing and I wasn’t inspired by the recipe I was going to share.  But today I was inspired to make this beautiful soup and feel good about sharing it!! It has wonderfully layered flavors and tastes amazing! I still have some kale left in my garden, the last lonely crop that loves the crisp cold air!  And this soup is perfect accompanied by being still and taking in your surroundings and enjoying the loveliness that only fall can bring!

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1 lb Sausage, casing removed (I used apple turkey sausage, but any sausage will do!)

1 onion, diced

1 large carrot, shredded

fresh rosemary, chopped (or dried or use other fresh herbs if you have them)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp cumin

1 bundle of kale, stems removed, chopped

1 can diced tomatoes

4 cups of chicken stock

2 cups of water

1/2 cup of red wine (optional)

1 3/4 cup of lentils

In a dutch oven, brown the sausage in olive oil.  Add the onion, garlic and carrot until tender (salt and pepper at this stage). Pour in about a half cup of red wine and reduce by half (this is optional, but makes another layer of flavor).  Add the herbs, diced tomatoes, water, chicken stock and lentils.  Salt and pepper again and simmer for 35-45 minutes until the lentils are tender.  Add the kale in the last 10 minutes of cooking.  Serve with a drizzle of good olive oil and balsamic vinegar and enjoy!

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Broccoli Cheddar Soup

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It is officially soup season, and boy have I been making the soup lately!!  We had some beautiful broccoli in our CSA and it’s abundant all over with these cooler fall temps. This soup is so good and very easy to make.  I’ve been finding solace in chopping, simmering, cooking- something I can control and see the results of my work in a tasty bowl of soup or meal.  When other things seem too big and out of my control, it’s nice to balance with simple tasks that give me pleasure.   Invite some friends over, make some soup and feed your soul this weekend!!

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Ingredients:

1 large head of broccoli (including stalk), cubed

1 tbs olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cubed (or I’ve also used turnips)

2 cups of chicken stock

2 cups of water

2-3 carrots, shredded

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

2 tablespoons of greek yogurt

Dice the broccoli florets, reserve half and set aside (use the stalk too…just peel the tough outer layer with a vegetable peeler) and chop the rest of your vegetables.  Add olive oil, onions and salt to a stock pot and cook until translucent.   Add the chicken stock, water, 1/2 of the cubed broccoli (reserve some florets to add texture to the soup later), 1/2 of the cubed potato, and more salt and pepper.  Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.  Puree the soup with an immersion blender or in a blender in batches.  Add the reserved broccoli florets and potato and the shredded carrots.  Simmer until the vegetables are tender.  Turn heat to low and add the shredded cheese until melted.  Add the greek yogurt and serve!!

 

 

 

Chicken Vegetable Soup

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This weekend was bitterly cold, and I didn’t feel bad at all about staying inside and doing some “chopping therapy” as I like to call it.  The house feels so warm, the kids are playing (kind of), the sun is shining bright through the windows and football is on…this is what January is all about to me.  The first week in January is stressful because we are all getting back to “normal” after the holidays and I feel pressured to make some kind of New Years resolution or list of goals for the year, but honestly I am just not much for New Years resolutions. I make resolutions throughout the year…many times…and break them…many times and sometimes I keep them and make goals and I keep them and I accomplish things.  I just like to do these things as they come up in life and as I am inspired, not just at the start of a new year.  But I do usually get back to eating healthy after holiday indulgence and start training for something (sometimes reluctently)…usually a half marathon. I need this discipline in life to live a healthy lifestyle and stay accountable.

So this weekend, I took some time to go to Central Market.  I got some root vegetables and a fresh roaster chicken and used it to feed us the entire weekend.  I cooked the chicken on Saturday and we ate that for dinner.  I made chicken stock that night and used it and the leftover chicken to make this chicken vegetable soup the next day. I used the rest of the leftover chicken to make curry chicken salad for lunches.  I LOVE going through this process and using the whole chicken for several meals.  I do this a couple of times a month, especially in the winter.   And this soup is the perfect soup for chopping winter root vegetables and taking your time in the kitchen. Let the “chopping therapy” commence!

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Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

1 turnip, chopped

1 parsnip, chopped

olive oil

1 tsp ground cumin

4-6 cups of chicken stock

3-4 cups of cooked chicken, chopped in bite sized pieces

1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup of fresh or frozen green beans, chopped in 1 in. pieces

salt and peper

dash of red pepper flakes

In a dutch oven, sauté the onions, carrots and celery for a few minutes.  Add the turnip and parsnip and cumin, salt and pepper and sauté until tender.  Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, more salt and pepper and a dash of red pepper flakes and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add the peas and green beans and simmer until tender.  Serve with some crusty bread and enjoy!!

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Healthy Lentil Soup

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I love to make this soup when I need something healthy to have on hand to balance out all of the holiday treats!  It makes a great lunch and leftovers for days.  This is the season that is all about balance.  Balancing out the to-do lists and busy schedules with quality family time and taking time to enjoy the little moments.  Balancing out the christmas cookies and hot chocolate with healthy, slow cooked rich flavors of the season.  This soup is so good drizzled with some olive oil and balsamic or red wine vinegar and it takes this simple soup to a new level of flavors. Yum!

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Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced

4 carrots, chopped

4 celery stalks, chopped

Olive oil

1 tablespoon cumin

salt and pepper

2 cups of lentils, rinsed

2 quarts of chicken stock or vegetable stock

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs of thyme

Olive oil and red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar (optional to serve)

Cook onion in olive oil until translucent.  Add garlic and stir a few minutes.  Add carrots, celery, cumin, salt and pepper and cook until tender, about 7 min.  Add rinsed lentils, broth, bay leaf and thyme.  Simmer for 30 minutes until the lentil are tender.  Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and vinegar.  I like red wine vinegar, but balsamic would work too.  Enjoy!

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Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Soup

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This is a quintessential fall soup, perfect for Thanksgiving or lunch the next day when you crave something “lighter” and more nutrient dense than the traditional Thanksgiving dinner we all love and enjoy.  Thanksgiving is my favorite time of year.  It’s a time when we can relax and enjoy visiting with family without the extra pressure of Christmas presents and parties and things that tend to take us away from the real meaning of the season.  And there are still little gems of local cold weather produce available until most of our markets close this week.  In this recipe, I used pumpkin that I roasted, pureed and froze. You can also cook fresh pumpkin or winter squash in the soup or use canned pumpkin puree.  I love to top off this soup with plain greek yogurt for a little tangly flavor, or use sour cream or drizzle some cream.  You can make this soup ahead, it gets better as the flavors combine.

Ingredients:

Olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves or garlic, minced

2 cups of sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 cup of pumpkin puree or cubed fresh pumpkin

1 apple, cored, peeled and cubed

4 cups of chicken stock

2 tablespoons of fresh sage, rough chopped

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

pinch of ground cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

plain greek yogurt, sour cream or cream (optional)

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In a dutch oven or soup pot, saute the onions in olive oil for a few minutes with salt and pepper then add the garlic until tender.  Add the rest of the ingredients (except for the cheese and yogurt) and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.  Puree the soup with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender.  Simmer the soup a few minutes.  Remove from heat and add in the Parmesan cheese.  Serve with plain greek yogurt, sour cream or a drizzle of cream.  Enjoy!

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Crockpot White Bean Chicken Chili

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I am really into soups right now.  With a polar vortex coming our way, I only see more in our future!  I made this last weekend and have been enjoying it for lunches all week.  I can’t tell you how much I love the crock pot and I can’t tell you how easy this recipe is.  I got everything ready and we were able to enjoy the last of these beautiful fall days.  To my kids dismay, I can’t get enough hiking in this time of year.  I want to enjoy every last minute until we are forced inside with the cold weather.  But here’s how to get this soup going!

Ingredients:

1-1.5 lbs of boneless chicken breasts

1 medium onion, diced

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

4 cups of chicken stock

1 small can of green chilies

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1 tablespoon of dried cilantro, or fresh if you have it

1 jalapeno (optional)

3 cans of white beans, drained and rinced

salt and peper

Plain Greek yogurt (optional)

fresh lime (optional)

Place all of the ingredients in the slow cooker, except the beans.  Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.  Put in the white beans for the last hour. Serve with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt and a squeeze of fresh lime.  I love to add fresh lime to soups and dishes, it really freshens it up.  And put some in your water too. It makes it feel like you are eating something special 🙂 Enjoy!

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Sausage, White Bean and Swiss Chard Stew

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This soup is so hearty and warming on these brisk fall days.  We are getting down to the last of the fall harvest vegetables, the roadside farm markets are closing soon and the CSA is finished.  I have some kale and swiss chard still in the garden, but that’s it.  I dried some herbs and hoping some others will withstand the colder temps for a while longer.  I morn a little each time the window for the fresh, local produce closes.  But now is the season for slow cooked, warm and nourishing dishes.  This is a great basic soup to switch up the ingredients for what you have on hand.  Use kidney beans and spinach or add veggies like peas or broccoli or omit the sausage and make a meatless soup. You can also eat this over a bed of whole wheat noodles or pasta. If you don’t have the fresh herbs, just use more dried.  It’s a small batch, so feel free to increase the amounts to have leftovers or some to freeze.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb Italian turkey sausage, loose sausage or remove from casings

olive oil for browning

2 cloves or garlic, minced

1 medium onion, diced

2-3 carrots, diced

3 celery stalks, diced

1 can of white beans, rinsed and drained

1 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes

4 cups of swiss chard, roughly chopped

4 cups of chicken stock

1/4 c fresh basil

2 tbsp fresh parsley

Parmesan cheese rind (optional)

1 tsp dried Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

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Brown the sausage in olive oil in a dutch oven or soup pot.  Set the browned sausage aside. Leaving the browned bits and fat in the bottom of the pan, saute the onion a few minutes then add the garlic and then add the carrots and celery. Add salt while sauteing and cook until tender.  Add the canned tomatoes with juice, beans (drained), chicken stock, sausage, swiss chard and herbs, red pepper flakes, Parmesan cheese rind salt and pepper and simmer for 20-30 min.  Take out the Parmesan cheese rind and serve with some fresh grated Parmesan cheese.  If you don’t have a Parmesan cheese rind, just add a 1-2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese to the simmer or omit.  This soup is great as leftovers too!

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