Tuscan Chicken Soup
A quick, light one-pot chicken soup made with beans, chicken, crisp vegetables, and spinach.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic minced
1 medium yellow onion chopped
2 cups cooked chicken diced
2 14-ounce cans of chicken broth
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup sliced celery
1 14.5- ounce can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 small zucchinis cubed
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
2 cups spinach packed, rinsed and torn
Instructions
- Cook the garlic and onion in the oil until the onion is transparent.
- Add all the rest of the ingredients except the spinach and cook about 15-20 minutes, until the carrots are crisp tender.
- Stir in the spinach and continue to cook for about 5 minutes more, until spinach is nicely wilted.
- Serve immediately.
Serves: 6
Serving Size: Each serving is about 1 cup.
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
The flavor of tomatoes, basil and garlic will draw you in. It will be hard not to eat the whole pot of Roasted Tomato Basil Soup.
Ingredients
2 large onions (about 2 cups chopped)
3 28 ounce cans diced plum tomatoes (divided)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
8 cups vegetable stock
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
4 cups fresh basil (packed)
1 cup half and half or dairy free milk
Instructions
Step 1: Chop & Combine
- Peel and chop the onions. Use a food processor to rough chop the onions into medium sized pieces.
- Dump the chopped onions into a large bowl.
- Drain 2 cans of tomatoes, reserving the juice. I drain them directly into my soup pot. Put the drained tomatoes into the bowl with the onions.
- Add the olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper to the bowl and stir to combine.
Step 2: Roast
- Heat oven to 400F degrees.
- Spread the tomatoes/onion mixture in a thin layer on two baking sheets.
- Roast the tomato mixture for 40 minutes, turning the mixture over with a spatula halfway through.
Step 3: Put it Together
- Add 8 cups of vegetable stock (or water and bouillion) to the stockpot. (You should already have the juice of the tomatoes in the pot.)
- Add the third can of diced tomatoes with juice to the pot.
- Scrape the roasted tomato/onion mixture into the stockpot. Stir to combine.
- Add the red pepper flakes and thyme to the pot.
- Chop the basil and add it to the stockpot. I use my food processor and pulse to chop until it is well chopped but not total mush.
- Stir to blend the ingredients.
- Use your immersion blender to make the soup smooth. (Isn’t this the greatest tool?)
Step 4: Simmer & Finish
- Simmer uncovered for 40 minutes to reduce the liquid a bit and blend the flavors.
- Ten minutes before serving, stir in the half and half (if using) and continue heating the soup gently until hot, about 5 minutes.
- Serve the soup as is or with a little Pecorino Romano sprinkled on the top.
Serves: 12
Serving Size: Each serving is about 1 1/2 cups.
Hamburger, Potato, Carrot Soup
A hearty stew with a milk gravy base, this Hamburger, Potato, Carrot Soup makes the perfect, one-pot meal.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion (chopped)
1 pound ground beef
6 carrots (peeled and sliced in rounds)
4 medium potatoes (cut in small chunks or thin slices, your preference)
1 cup of frozen peas
2 tablespoons butter
2-3 cups milk
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Steam the potatoes and carrots until crisp-tender. Set aside.
- In a Dutch oven sauté the onion in the olive oil until the onions are transparent.
- Add the hamburger and continue cooking until the meat is brown all the way through.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the hamburger/onion combination to a separate bowl.
- Dispose of the meat drippings (or use them instead of the butter in the next step).
- Add the butter to the Dutch oven (no need to clean the pan first) and melt it over medium heat.
- Stir in the flour, making a roux.
- Slowly add the milk until the flour/butter mixture is dissolved.
- Continue cooking until the milk thickens to about the consistency of gravy. (If it gets lumpy, simply strain it through a mesh sieve to remove the lumps and return the sauce to the pan.)
- Add the cooked hamburger, onion, carrots, peas, and potatoes.
- Season with salt and pepper.
Serves 4.
Each serving is about 1 1/2 cups.
Beet and Butternut Squash Soup
A brilliant and sweet squash soup with a depth of flavor that will astound you.
Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes
1 large fresh beet, cut in quarters
4 green onions, sliced (whites and light green parts only)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro (chopped)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1 vegetable bouillon cube
Instructions
- Boil the squash and beet until just tender. Drain and set aside.
- Sauté the onions, garlic and spices until the onions are transparent.
- Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
- Garnish with a dollop of fat-free sour cream and a few pieces of green onion tops to serve.
Serves 4
Each serving is about 1 1/2 cups.
Black Eyed Peas White Chili
Mild, flavorful and full of protein, this Black Eyed Peas White Bean Chili is comfort food you’ll love.
1/2 onion chopped fine
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 pound ground turkey
1 tablespoon chopped jalapeno peppers
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 15-oz cans of black eyed peas
1 15-oz can cannellini beans
2 cups chicken broth
1 cups white cheddar cheese shredded
1/4 cups sour cream
Instructions
- Sauté the onion, garlic and ground turkey until the turkey is browned.
- Be sure to break the turkey into small pieces as it cooks.
- Add the jalapeno peppers, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, white pepper and sauté for a few more minutes, until the flavors begin to mingle.
- Add the two cans of black eyed peas (rinse first) and chicken broth.
- Rinse and puree the cannellini beans and add them to the pot.
- Simmer until some of liquid evaporates and the broth to solids ratio suites you.
- To serve, ladle the chili into bowls; sprinkle on the cheese and add a dollop of sour cream.
Serves 4
Each serving is about 1 1/2 cups.