Spinach and White Bean Soup

I was looking for a light healthy soup to make and I found this recipe on the Washington Post website. The use of spinach, garlic, and vegetables made this soup filling and absolutely delicious. The beans also provide a great source of fiber. The oregano, rosemary, salt and pepper added so much flavor and this soup turned out so warm and tasty it became one of my favorite soup recipes!

 

Recipe:

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 medium cloves garlic, minced

1 large carrot, peeled and cut into small dice

1 rib celery, cut into small dice

1 tablespoon flour

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 14 ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with juice

1 15 ounce can cannellini or other white beans, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon dried rosemary

2 cups washed, stemmed and coarsely chopped spinach leaves

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrot and celery; stir to coat, then cook for 6 minutes, stirring often to keep the ingredients from sticking to the bottom of the pan. The vegetables will have softened.
2. Add the flour and cook, stirring for 2 minutes, then add the broth, tomatoes with their juice, beans, oregano and rosemary; bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.
3. Add the spinach and cook for 5 minutes, stirring to incorporate so the spinach wilts. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

A couple notes:

I omitted the can of diced tomatoes from this recipe because I didn't have any on-hand and I wanted to taste this recipe without the use of tomatoes.

I added 2 cans of cannellini or white beans to the soup. I used a fork to crush one can of beans to thicken the soup.

I added one bay leaf to the soup to add that little something extra.

I served this soup with Parmesan on top.

Enjoy!

French Onion Soup

This is a soup that I absolutely love. I've cooked a couple different types of soups over the last couple months so I thought I was ready to make my first French Onion Soup. This is one of Tyler Florence's recipes that I found on the Food Network website. I decided to make this recipe vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead of beef broth. I was worried that removing the beef broth flavor would dramatically alter the taste of the soup. The flavor turned out absolutely amazing! I used Petite Sirah from Trader Joe's in the soup and it added a nice rich flavor. This recipe will provide about 6 servings and is a perfect choice for a dinner party. Everyone will absolutely love it! 

Recipe:

½ cup unsalted butter

4 onions, sliced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 bay leaves

2 fresh thyme sprigs

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup red wine, about ½ bottle

3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 quarts beef broth

1 baguette, sliced

½ pound grated Gruyere

1. Melt the stick of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes.
2. Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry, about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
3. Dust the onions with the flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium low so the flour doesn't burn, and cook for 10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
4. Now add the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
5. Alternative method: Ladle the soup into bowls, top each with 2 slices of bread and top with cheese. Put the bowls into the oven to toast the bread and melt the cheese.

A couple notes:

I substituted vegetable broth for beef broth to make this a vegetarian dish.

I used a whole wheat baguette for a hearty texture in the soup.

It takes a few minutes longer for the wine to evaporate than the recipe says but the flavor is worth the wait.

Next time I make this recipe (which will be very soon) I will make croutons to put on top of the soup instead of the slice of bread. Instructions for that method are here:

When you're ready to eat, preheat the broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle the slices with the Gruyere and broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Ladle the soup in bowls and float several of the Gruyere croutons on top.

Enjoy!

Asparagus Soup with Herbed Goat Cheese

Giada made this soup on her show and I was intrigued to try the recipe at home. I cook asparagus often and I like the idea of using it in a soup. This recipe is easy to make and only requires a couple ingredients. The rich creaminess of the herbed goat cheese blended perfectly with the asparagus soup. Yum! Serve with a mixed green salad and you have a light balanced elegant dinner that everyone can enjoy!

 

Goat Cheese Recipe:

½ cup (4 ounces) goat cheese, at room temperature

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Vegetable oil cooking spray

1. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Using a fork, in a small bowl, combine the goat cheese and basil until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Using a 1/2-ounce cookie scoop or a round tablespoon measure sprayed with vegetable oil cooking spray, scoop the goat cheese into balls and arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Asparagus Soup Recipe:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 large leek (white and light green part only), thinly sliced

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 pounds medium asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

½ cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. In a large saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring constantly until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Add the broth, asparagus and basil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the asparagus is tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Keep the soup warm over low heat.

4. Ladle the soup into shallow bowls and garnish with the herbed goat cheese.

A couple notes:

The soup can also be pureed by ladling, in batches, into a food processor or blender and blended until smooth.

I substituted vegetable broth for chicken broth. The flavor is great!

Enjoy!

Cabbage-Vegetable Soup

I found this recipe on the Martha Stewart website. This soup is loaded with vegetables and flavor. Your entire body warms as you eat it without giving you a heavy full feeling. This recipe is so flavorful and provides lots of leftovers to enjoy again and again! 

Recipe:

2 medium leeks, white and light green parts only

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced small

2 medium carrots, diced small

2 celery stalks, diced small

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled and diced small

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 bay leaves

½ head (1 ½) pounds green cabbage, cored and thinly sliced

Coarse salt and ground pepper

2 teaspoons white vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

1. Halve leeks lengthwise; rinse thoroughly, pat dry, and cut into 1/2-inch slices. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion, carrots, and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add leeks and garlic and cook, stirring, until leeks begin to soften, 2 minutes. Add potato, broth, and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Stir in cabbage and season generously with salt and pepper.
2. Return soup to a boil, then reduce to a rapid simmer. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vinegar and thyme. Season with salt and pepper.
   

A couple notes:

I added a few chopped white mushrooms to the recipe. Their texture and light flavor is great.

Instead of 1 Yukon Gold potato, I used 2 chopped Russet potatoes because I already had them in the kitchen.

I didn't have fresh thyme leaves so I used dried thyme. About ½ tablespoon.


Enjoy!

Clove Garlic Soup with Arugula Salad

Dinner nights with friends are always fun! It's even more fun trying new recipes and tasting the result of an evening full of cooking and laughter. My friend found this recipe for Clove Garlic Soup in Whole Living magazine so we decided to give it a try! Living so close to the Garlic Capital of the World, this garlic soup recipe looked intriguing. The soup had a great creamy texture and tasted delicious. The garlic wasn't overpowering at all. Serving this soup in a whole wheat bread bowl made this dinner warm and cozy. We added a light arugula salad to the menu to add some freshness.

 

Clove Garlic Soup Recipe:

2 heads garlic, halved crosswise

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

4 cups low sodium chicken broth

8 ounces Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Drizzle garlic heads with oil. Wrap tightly in foil and roast until tender, about 40 minutes. Let cool, then squeeze garlic from papery skin and set aside.
   
   
2. Bring, stock, potatoes, and roasted garlic to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan.
   
   
3. Let cool slightly, then puree in a blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.

A couple notes:

I substituted vegetable broth for chicken broth.

It took longer for the potatoes to become tender than the recipe mentions...about 15 to 20 minutes total.

If you would like to add some heat to the soup, sprinkle a small amount of red pepper flakes to the bottom of the bread bowl.

We added a personal touch to the salad and used the top of the bread bowls to make our own croutons. Cut into small pieces and drizzle with olive oil. Turn the oven onto broil and place croutons in oven until crispy. Add to your salad!

Enjoy!

Wedge Salad and Curried Carrot Soup

Let me start by saying that I LOVE wedge salads! One of my favorite local restaurants has a wedge salad on their menu and I order it every single time I dine there (which is quite often). I've never made one at home so I thought this would be the perfect time to try! I really wanted to make this wedge salad my own so I decided to make the blue cheese dressing myself. I found the recipe on EatingWell.com.

Since I seem to be on a soup kick lately, I decided to make another soup. I've haven't used curry in any of my cooking so far but I love the flavor so this Curried Carrot Soup caught my eye. I found this recipe at MarthaStewart.com.

I paired a light red wine with this dinner, Peachy Canyon “Incredible Red” Zinfandel. Another discovery out of Paso Robles, that is fantastic. Can be paired with almost any food, it is light enough to drink with a salad and soup or can stand up to a steak. Excellent with a variety of foods and one of my favorite go-to wines!

Recipes:

Blue Cheese Dressing for Wedge Salad

1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1/3 cup nonfat buttermilk, or nonfat milk
1/3 cup nonfat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar, or white vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¼ cup crumbled blue cheese (1 ounce)

1. Whisk mayonnaise, buttermilk (or milk), yogurt, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a medium bowl until smooth. Add cheese and stir, mashing with spoon until the cheese is incorporated.
   

Curried Carrot Soup
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon curry powder
Coarse sald and ground pepper
3 ½ cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)

1. Heat butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, curry powder, 2 teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
2. Add broth, and 3 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.
   
3. In a blender, puree soup in batches until smooth; transfer to a clean saucepan. Add more wather to thin to desired consistency. Reheat, if necessary. Stir in lemon juice.
   

A couple notes:

I love the flavor of blue cheese. In my opinion, this recipe could use a tiny bit less Dijon mustard and a little more blue cheese. The blue cheese crumbles were also a bit hard to mash so I suggest leaving them out on the counter for a few minutes to help them soften before adding them into the mixture.

The Curried Carrot Soup was much more sweet that I originally anticipated. The curry powder offered great flavor but I would have liked a little more kick. If you like some heat, adding red pepper flakes to this recipe should do the trick!

Enjoy!

Gypsy Soup

Feeling so confident after my first soup making experience, I wanted to make another soup! This is a recipe that my good friend Kaitlyn's mother passed down to her and we are so happy that she did! Gypsy Soup is the perfect soup for fall! Easy to make, flexible with ingredients, and I already had most of the vegetables in my fridge! Colors, texture and taste create a delicious healthy hommade soup that will warm your body with every bite.

Recipe:

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups chopped onion

2 cloves crushed garlic

2 cups chopped, peeled sweet potato

½ cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes

¾ cup chopped sweet peppers

1 ½ cup cooked chickpeas

3 cups stock or water

2 tablespoons paprika

1 teaspoon tumeric

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon salt

dash of cinnamon

dash of cayanne

1 bay leaf

1. In a large pot saute onions, garlic, celery, and sweet potatoes in olive oil for about 5 minutes.
2. Add seasonings and the stock or water. Simmer, covered, fifteen minutes.
3. Add remaining vegetables and chickpeas. Simmer another 10 minutes or so - until all the vegetables are as tender as you like them.

A couple notes:

The vegetables in this soup are so flexible. I used 1 medium yellow onion, chopped. 2-3 stalks of celery, chopped. Added 2 whole carrots sliced into thin round pieces. 1 orange bell pepper sliced into pieces about as big as the carrots.

Instead of using fresh tomatoes I used 1 can (15 ounces) of diced tomatoes, including juice. I also replaced the 1 ½ cup cooked chickpeas with I can drained, rinsed garbanzo beans. The beans weren't quite as tender as the vegetables so they can probably be added 5 to 7 minutes into the simmering in step 2.

Because the portions I used were a bit bigger than the recipe called for and I added the carrots, I used about 5 tablespoons of olive oil. I also added more vegetable broth, about 4 cups.

This recipe is one of my new favorites and provides lots of leftovers to enjoy later or share with family and friends!

Enjoy!

Acorn Squash Bisque

I found this recipe on the Martha Stewart website and it was absolutely delicious! As the weather turns colder and we find ourselves in the middle of the beautiful fall season I was extremely motivated to learn how to make soup. I had never attempted to make soup before so I was pretty intimidated. Let me tell you, there is nothing to be intimidated about! This recipe was easy to follow and the taste and texture of the soup was beyond anything I ever thought I could create. This was my first time using Acorn Squash and I will definitely make this soup again!

Recipe:

2 acorn squashes (3 pounds total)

1 tablespoon butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

Course salt and ground pepper

½ teaspoon thyme leaves, and more for garnish

1 can (14 ½ ounces) reduced sodium chicken broth

½ cup half and half

1. Place squashes on a paper towel and microwave on high just until tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the microwave, and halve each squash lengthwise (to speed cooling). When cool enough to handle, scoop out and discard the seeds. Scrape out flesh into a bowl; discard skin. (To prepare in oven, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Halve squash lengthwise; scoop out and discard seeds. Place squash, cut side down, on a rimmed baking sheet; cover tightly with aluminum foil. Roast until almost tender when pierced wtih a knife, 15 to 25 minutes. When cool enough to handle, scrape out flesh, discard skin, and proceed with step 2).
2. In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium. Add onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add squash, thyme, broth, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce to medium, and cook until squash is very tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Working in batches, puree mixture in a blender until very smooth, about 1 minute. Return to pan; add half-and-half, and season generously with salt and pepper. Thin bisque, if needed, by adding more water. Serve garnished with thyme.

A couple notes:

Instead of placing the acorn squashes in the microwave I used the oven. Slice squashes in half and place them face down on a baking sheet. Place in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes until tender.

I replaced the chicken broth with vegetable broth because that is what I had on-hand. Works just as well if not better.

I didn't feel the need to thin the bisque at all. The texture was thick and creamy and perfect to serve right away!

Enjoy!