#2,799: Gluten Free Home Made Ramen Noodle Cups

Ramen noodles may be so bad for you, but they are a guilty pleasure of mine!  I am not a fan though of the ramen noodle cups (eck!) which are just loaded with sodium and weird spices.  So when I found a healthier version with real veggies I knew I wanted to give this a try.  I've been eating gluten free ramen noodles lately (I like the millet and brown rice ones from Lutus foods...I get it off Thrive) so this was even a little more exciting.  

The first time I made these I didn't pre-cook the carrots and I really regretted that.  Have you ever choked on a shred of carrot?  No?  It hurts. The second time I made these I sauteed them in a little olive oil until they softened up and I also chopped the spinach a little finer, and I LOVED this more.  I have eaten this both with shredded chicken and cooked chicken sausage (you can see it in the photo above) and I like it both ways.  I also added some edamame after I took this picture...that was a good idea!  

This is made with homemade bouillon seasoning and it is quite good in my opinion.   The recipe makes a ton though so you might want to halve it! 

This makes a super easy, make ahead lunch!  Just add some hot water, let it sit for a few minutes, and you are ready to eat! 

This is for FOUR ramen cups

Bouillon Powder

1/2 cup (40 g) nutritional yeast flakes*

2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons onion flakes (can substitute 1 tablespoon onion powder)

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

3/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried sage

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon wasabi powder (if you can’t find it, leave it out)*

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar (can substitute regular granulated sugar)

Instant Soup

4 “nests” gluten free ramen or rice noodles

2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves (I like mine chopped a bit)

3/4 cup shredded carrots (from about 2 medium carrots) (I used grated carrots and sauteed them to soften a bit)

1 cup cubed extra-firm tofu or diced cooked chicken

2 tablespoons gluten free miso paste (I omitted)

4 teaspoons gluten free soy sauce

1/4 cup Bouillon Powder

1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped fresh scallion greens

1 cup edamame

First, make the bouillon powder. Place all of the bouillon ingredients in a medium-size bowl and mix to combine well. Place in a resealable glass container (a small mason jar works great), and set aside.

Next, cook the noodles one nest at a time according to the package directions or by boiling them in about a quart of water until they separate and begin to soften.  Do not cook them all the way.  Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking, and set them aside briefly.

To assemble the instant soups, set out four heat-safe jars that can accommodate about 20 fluid ounces in volume. 

In each jar, layer the ingredients in the following order: 

1/2 cup spinach leaves 

1/4 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup edamame
1/2 cup tofu or chicken
1/2 tablespoon miso paste
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 nest of softened noodles
1 tablespoon bouillon powder and, finally,
scallion greens to taste (at least 2 tablespoons).

Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, fill each container with boiling water (leaving a small space to permit covering the container) and cover tightly. Allow the container to steep for 2 minutes. Open, stir gently and enjoy.

#2,673: Crock Pot Chicken Tortellini Soup

This is another recipe that I made this recipe right after I had my gallbladder surgery because it took such little time to throw together in the crockpot.  You basically cook the veggies and broth (and chicken if you're using it) and then add in the tortellini at the very end.  As you can see in the original recipe below, you are supposed to cook (and shred) chicken into this soup.  That had no appeal to me whatsoever, so I decided to omit it and use chicken tortellini instead.  I still got the chicken flavor, but didn't have chicken pieces floating throughout my soup.  Although I really enjoyed this healthy, easy soup, next time I will make one change.  I'll cook the tortellini in a pot on the stove, let it cool, and then add it to my soup so it stops cooking and soaking up so much liquid. 

If you are making this an plan to serve/eat it all in one sitting, you definitely don't have to do that.  But since I was the only one eating this, and eating it as leftovers, the tortellini got a little soft (still good, but not as good as it could have been). 

3 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced

3 celery stalks, finely diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium onion, finely diced

2 cups shredded chicken 

6 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

salt and pepper, to taste

16 ounces three-cheese tortellini (I used refrigerated chicken flavored tortellini)

fresh parsley, to garnish (optional)

Place the carrots, celery, garlic, onion, chicken, chicken stock, basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary into a 6-quart slow cooker. Mix until combined.

Cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 6 hours.  Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Place the three-cheese tortellini into the soup and mix. Cook on high for another 15 minutes.

Serve and garnish with parsley.

#2,046: Low Carb Zuppa Toscana Soup

Since I enjoyed the Crockpot Zuppa Toscana recipe I made a few days ago so much, I decided to give this one a try and make it a bit healthier by eliminating the carbs.  (It has heavy cream and sausage in it still, so not sure how "healthy" this actually is, but I was going for low carb!).  Although I do like potatoes, I think I might have enjoyed this one a tiny bit more.  It was a little bit greasy though, so I next time I'll probably not only drain the sausage (like the directions state), but also put it on a paper towel-lined plate for a bit to soak up even more of the grease.  I actually made this before I went to bed, so it was ready in the morning (I wanted to be able to eat it for lunch and not have to get up in the middle of the night to start it).  Also, I think I liked this one so much because I cut back on the kale, and it was added in right in the beginning, so it was quite soft and not overpowering!  I will definitely make this recipe again! 

1 pound mild or hot ground Italian sausage

1 tablespoon oil

½ cup finely diced onion or 1 medium onion, finely diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

36 ounces chicken or vegetable stock

1 large cauliflower head, diced into small florets

3 cups chopped kale

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

½ cup heavy cream

Brown the ground sausage and onion in a skillet over medium heat until done.  Using a slotted spoon, remove the sausage and place it into at least a 6-quart slow cooker. Discard the grease.

Add the chicken or vegetable stock, cauliflower florets, kale, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker. Mix until combined.  Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.  Add the heavy cream and mix until combined.  Serve hot.

#2,045: Slow Cook Zuppa Toscana

It is cold here.  Like barely above zero temps, and staying below zero a lot of the time.  This time of year I definitely start craving the comfort and coziness of soups, and when I saw this soup on Pinterest it was calling my name.  It was really good!  I don't know how it compares to Olive Garden (pretty sure this is a knock-off recipe), but it was still really good.  I tried to make it a tiny bit healthier by adding in fat-free evaporated milk instead of the heavy cream, but I'm sure it would have been even better with the heavy cream.  Also, like a previous post, I think the kale should have gone in a bit sooner so that it cooked down more, but that's a personal preference with cooked kale. 

1 lb ground Hot Italian sausage (I used bulk pork sausage)

1 bag Simply Potatoes diced potatoes and onions 

2 cloves large garlic minced

32 oz chicken stock

1/2 bunch kale (a couple of handfuls) de-stemmed and torn into bite-sized pieces

1 cup heavy cream (I used fat-free evaporated milk)

2 Tbsp flour

Salt and pepper to taste

Pinch of red pepper flakes optional

Heat large saute pan over medium-high heat and brown sausage.  Add minced garlic and stir to combine.  Drain off the grease and then add sausage and garlic to the bottom of slow cooker.

Add a bag of diced potatoes and onion, cover with chicken stock and water (if necessary) to completely cover potatoes and sausage.

Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 (potatoes should be soft)

BEFORE SERVING:

Whisk together heavy cream and flour until well mixed. Pour into slow cooker, add kale and stir to combine.  Cover and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes until soup has thickened slightly.

Taste, season according to your tastes, and serve.

#2,041: Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup

I made this soup for my neighbor, and selfishly, saved a bowl for myself because the meatballs and noodles were calling my name!  Although I really liked this recipe, it had a bit too much kale in it for my liking.  Also, you add the kale in towards the end, and I think I would have liked it more if I would have added the kale in at the beginning and it had a chance to get even softer.  I would definitely make this recipe again though, it was so good.  And the hardest part was cooking the meatballs ahead of time (I do love when everything gets dumped into the crockpot at one time!).  Also, I made my noodles ahead of time and let them completely cool before adding them in at the end.  I didn't want them to cook in the liquid and continue cooking, and get too soft/mushy. 

8 cups chicken broth

3 large carrots peeled and chopped

1 small onion diced

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 clove garlic minced

salt and pepper to taste

Meatballs:

1 lb lean ground beef

1 egg

1/4 cup onion finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 clove garlic minced

1 slice bread torn into very small pieces (I used a bit of breadcrumbs)

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon olive or other cooking oil (if sauteing)

Soup Add-ins

8 ounces endive or escarole trimmed and torn into 1/2 inch strips (I used kale)

1 cup acini di pepe pasta or other small pasta, uncooked

freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a slow cooker combine the following: chicken broth, carrots, onion, parsley, oregano, and garlic. Turn on low heat for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours.

For the meatballs:

In a medium bowl combine, egg, ground beef, onion, parsley, garlic, bread, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Shape into 1 inch balls.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake meatballs for 15 minutes or until no longer pink and cooked through.  Place the meatballs in slow cooker with chicken broth, vegetables, and seasonings.

20 minutes prior to mealtime, add the pasta and torn endive or escarole to slow cooker. Cover again and cook until pasta and greens are tender. Ladle into bowls and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

#2,021: Tuscan Kale and Farro Soup

I've made several recipes using farro, and I absolutely love this nutty grain.  Its texture is a little chewy after it's cooked, and it holds up well in soups (although it will still soak up a lot of the juice).  I found this recipe from Rachel Ray and absolutely fell in love with it.  I didn't add the beans, but added a handful of corn instead.  I have farro on my grocery list again next week because I used it all up this week!  

1 1/2 cups pearled farro, rinsed (I used 1 cup)

1/4 cup olive oil (I used about 2 tbsp)

2 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed

2 carrots, thinly sliced crosswise

1 onion, finely chopped

1/2 8 ounce bunch tuscan kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped

1 15 ounce can cannellini beans (I omitted and used about 1 cup of frozen corn instead)

1 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

salt and pepper

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, add the farro and cook at a gentle simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Reserve 4 cups of the cooking water, then drain the farro in a colander.

Meanwhile, in a large dutch oven or soup pot, heat olive oil and the garlic over medium-low heat until the garlic is softened, about 3 minutes. With a wooden spoon, press down on the garlic to release its flavor; do not brown. Add the carrots and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the kale and 1/4 cup water, cover the pot and cook until wilted, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cannellini beans and their liquid, the diced tomatoes and their juices, the parsley and crushed red pepper. Lower the heat, cover partially and gently simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the drained farro and 3 cups of the reserved cooking water to the soup; add the final cup of cooking water if desired to thin the soup. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat. 

(I omitted this step) Ladle into bowls and drizzle about 1 tbsp. olive oil over each serving.

#2,020: Cauliflower Soup with Farro

I had a bunch of veggies and a little bit of farro that I wanted to use up and make a soup for my lunches this week.  So I threw a whole bunch of ingredients together to make this really healthy, super delicious soup!  I love when I use up ingredients to make something delicious.  

2 tablespoons olive oil extra-virgin

1/2 yellow onion, diced

1 cup baby carrots, cut into small circles (I cut some in half too if they were bigger carrots)

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 tablespoons dried basil
1 tablespoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 can of petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 small head of cauliflower cut into small florets
3 large kale leaves, stems removed, and chopped

4 cups chicken broth (I used 2 large boullion cubes and 4 cups of water)

1/4 cup pearled farro, rinsed (this is all I had left, but I would probably use 1 cup next time!)

1 cup frozen peas

In a large pot heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, cauliflower, and garlic. Cook, stirring a few times until the vegetables are softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the thyme, basil, parsley, salt, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and stir to combine with the vegetables.

Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the farro and kale.  Cover and cook on medium-low for about 20 minutes or until the carrots, cauliflower, and farro are all cooked to desired texure.  Add the peas, keep the lid off, and continue cooking over medium-low heat for another 5 minutes.  

Season with pepper if desired. 

#2,013: Sweet Potato Stew

I found this recipe in a recent issue of Taste of Home magazine, and I was drawn to it because it pretty much only requires 6 ingredients (plus a few spices), and I happened to already have all of the ingredients on hand (yes I even had small cans of V8 leftover from another recipe!).  I had to change up this recipe though because it basically says to boil the ground beef in the broth and V8 juice, and that was too disgusting for me to even try.  So I browned my meat with onion in a pan, and then threw it all into a pot to finish cooking.  I wasn't sure I was going to love the flavors of this, but I really, really enjoyed eating this!  I would definitely make this again! 

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) beef broth (I used 2 cans)

3/4 pound lean ground beef

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 small onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup V8 juice

2 teaspoons golden raisins (I used craisins, and probably added at least 1/4 cup)

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Pinch cayenne pepper

In a large saucepan, bring broth to a boil. 

I browned my meat with onion in a pan and skipped this step: Crumble beef into broth. Cover and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Add the remaining ingredients; return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until meat is no longer pink and potatoes are tender. Yield: 4 servings.

#1,888: Crockpot Hamburger Soup/Stew

Busy working mom, looking for super simple, healthy lunch ideas.  Yep, that's me.  And as much as I love to cook, I just don't have a ton of time to commit to being in the kitchen anymore.  (Hangs head in disbelief and sadness)  When I came across this recipe (and had everything on hand except for the sweet potato), I knew it was one I desperately wanted to try.  

Although a little bland, I actually did like this.  It definitely needs more seasoning though!  Italian seasoning, fresh herbs, I don't know what, but add whatever you love to this dish.  :)  Besides that though, it has great potential.  Except next time I'm omitting the celery because I just don't love it.  I might substitute zucchini instead...  ???

2 lbs grass-fed ground beef (I used ground turkey)

1 lb white sweet potatoes or potatoes, chopped 

42.5 ounces diced tomatoes

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1½ tsp ground mustard

1 tsp salt

Handful fresh parsley

1 tsp garlic powder

½ tsp pepper

Brown ground beef in a large skillet. Drain grease.Add ground meat to the slow cooker along with all other ingredients.  Stir to mix well.  Cook HIGH 2-3 hours or LOW 4-6 hours or until potatoes are soft.

If you want to make this more of a soup than stew all you need to do is add in 2 cups of low-sodium beef broth.  (I definitely added some broth which gave it a little more flavor and helped it cook faster!) 

#1,887: Italian Wedding Soup

As we are inching our way to May, I know that it is moving from soup/crockpot weather, to grilling season, however, I am in the need/mood for super simple, filling, healthy recipes, and soups are the first thing that came to mind.  So when I came across this easy recipe, I decided to give it a chance for my lunches this upcoming week...And maybe a breakfast (which I got some very weird looks for).

Overall, I really did enjoy this soup/recipe.  I took the lazy way and let the meatball cook right in the stock (instead of pre-cooking/browning them).  And although I would still do that again for ease, they probably would have been better if browned first because they would have had a slightly firmer texture.  Regardless, I thought this one was pretty good...and SOOOOOO simple.   

FOR THE MEATBALLS:

1 lb ground pork

1/2 C Italian breadcrumbs

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and pepper

Chili flake, to taste

1/4 C shredded Parmesan cheese

1/4 C finely chopped onion

FOR THE SOUP:

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 C ditalini or other small pasta

8 C good chicken stock

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 C water (may or may not be needed)

One 5-ounce package fresh spinach

Shaved Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)

If you are cooking your meatballs separate, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  For the meatballs, mix all of the meatball ingredients together by hand.  Roll the meatballs into mini meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter. Bake the meatballs about 20 to 25 minutes or until well browned and done.

For the soup, put the stock, celery, onions, and garlic (and meatballs if cooking in the soup) into a large pot or dutch oven.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat slightly, making sure it is still boiling.  Cook the veggies about 5 minutes. 

I cooked the pasta separately, then let cool before adding it to the soup so that it wouldn't get mushy/overcooked.  Add in the pasta and bring it back to a boil.  Once at a full boil again, reduce the heat again slightly but keep it still bubbling.  Cook and stir until the pasta (and meatballs) are done.  

If necessary, add in the 2 cups of water if it seems your stock is cooking out too much.  Once it's done, turn the heat off and stir in the meatballs if you cooked them separately.  Stir in the spinach until it is wilted.  Serve with the shaved Parmesan, if desired.

#1,846: Sausage, Kale, and Lentil Soup

Whenever I find a recipe with lentils I think of my grandma who used to make them regularly for us and for our family gatherings.  So it's always a nice reminder of her when I make lentils myself (even if it's not her recipe I'm making them with).  I found this recipe in a recent issue of Real Simple Magazine.  It's supposed to be served with crusty bread (which would be delicious!) but I don't have any on hand so no bread for me.  This is quite good...a little underseasoned, but still good.  I decided to add some dried basil, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper.  I think it needed it.  It also does not need the salt (or just a tiny bit of it).  I think it's salty enough with the sausage.  

1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed (I used bulk pork sausage)

1 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, chopped

4 cups chicken stock

2 cups dried red lentils, rinsed (I used brown lentils)

1 (28-oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained (I used petite diced)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

5 cups loosely packed baby kale leaves

Baguette, for serving (optional)

Cook the sausage in a Dutch oven over medium-high, stirring often, until the meat crumbles and begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion softens and the sausage is browned all over, about 4 more minutes.

Add the stock, stirring and scraping 
 to loosen any browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven. Add the lentils, tomatoes, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the lentils have softened, 20 to 25 minutes.

Stir in the kale and cook, stirring constantly, until softened, about 1 minute. Serve with the baguette.

#1,839: Weight Watchers Slow Cook Taco Soup

Photo coming soon....(I have to wait until lunch again to get a photo of this!)

Although I don't do weight watchers or count points, this soup sounded a little too good not to try.  Not that I'm opposed to weight watcher recipes in any way!  I made a few adjustments to what I had on hand (ground turkey instead of beef, petite diced tomatoes and a can of mild chopped green chiles) but it was pretty much the same recipe.  I have really been enjoying eating these for lunch the last few days.  It's relatively healthy AND it's filling!  

2lb lean ground beef (I used ground turkey and only used about 3/4 lb)

1 medium Onion, diced

1 packet Ranch Dressing Mix 

1 packet Taco Seasoning 

1 32 oz. box (low sodium) Chicken Broth

14.5 oz. can Tomato Sauce 

2 - 14.5 oz cans Diced Tomatoes with Chiles

14.5 oz can Black Beans (I used 2 cans since I didn't use as much ground beef/turkey)

1 can Corn 

Saute onions for 2 minutes.  Add ground beef and brown the meat.  Drain browned ground beef to remove excess fat.

Add ground beef mixture and all other ingredients (do not drain corn or black beans) to slow cooker.  Cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 6 hours.

Garnish with sour cream, cheddar cheese, and/or crushed tortilla chips if desired.

According to the original website: 

SmartPoints: 5 (about 1 cup per serving)

Makes about 8 servings

#1,771: Bacon-Potato Corn Chowder

This is a terrible photo, but I really enjoyed this soup!  It was really simple to throw together and I loved the flavors of this.  Although I haven't had a corn and potato soup in a really long time.  This would be even better served in a hollowed out bread bowl.... :) 

1/2 pound bacon strips, chopped

1/4 cup chopped onion

1-1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (about 5 medium), peeled and cubed

1 can (14-3/4 ounces) cream-style corn

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk (I used skim milk)
I also added some diced green onion

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Discard drippings, reserving 1-1/2 teaspoons in pan. Add onion to drippings; cook and stir over medium-high heat until tender.

Meanwhile, place potatoes in a large saucepan; add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain, reserving 1 cup potato water.

Add corn, milk, salt, pepper and reserved potato water to saucepan; heat through. Stir in bacon and onion. Yield: 6 servings.

#1,724: Chickpea Soup

I made this super simple soup at my mom's house over Christmas weekend and enjoyed it for lunch and dinner one night.  It was so simple to throw together and overall the flavors are pretty good.  I love that it's healthy and vegetarian, although you could easily add in some ground beef or turkey to give it more flavor too.  I would definitely make this one again.

I almost had to use dried rosemary in this dish because her local grocery store was out of the fresh stuff, but thankfully with this mild winter, her rosemary was still in her garden.  Although I still almost used dried rosemary because I was too lazy to walk to her garden in the cold!  LOL   But I knew if I didn't do it, she would eventually go for me and I didn't want to be THAT lazy.  Love my mom!  

1 bunch Swiss chard or Tuscan kale, center stems removed

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 carrots, peeled and diced

1 large onion, chopped

3 - 4 small ribs celery from the heart, chopped (I omitted)

3 tablespoons chopped rosemary

2 - 3 large cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp. crushed red pepper

Salt and pepper

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

2 15 1/2 ounce cans chickpeas

1 28 ounce can petite diced tomatoes

Minced red or white onions, for garnish

Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for garnish (I omitted, although it would be very good!)

(I did not do this step, instead I just chopped it finely with a knife). In a food processor, pulse the chard until finely chopped. Transfer to a medium bowl, rinse out the food processor and return it to the base.

In a soup pot, heat 3 tbsp. olive oil, over medium-high. Add the carrots, chopped onion, celery, rosemary, chopped garlic and crushed red pepper; season with salt and pepper. Cover, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender but not brown, 7 to 8 minutes.

Stir in the stock, chickpeas and tomatoes. Transfer half the soup to the food processor and coarsely puree. Return to the pot and stir in the chard; season. Simmer, stirring often, until the flavors blend, about 5 minutes.

Garnish with raw onion and cheese if desired. 

#1,707: Kal-iflower Stoup

Yes this recipe really is called a “stoup.”  No I did not make an error when typing this.  Rachel Ray considers a stoup: “thicker than soup and thinner than stew.”  Personally I think this is a soup.  I don’t think it’s too thick.  Whatever…it still tastes good. 

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 large onion, chopped

5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary (about 5 sprigs)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 large head cauliflower (about 2 1/2 pounds) quartered, cored and chopped (as you can probably tell, I used purple cauliflower)

2 jarred roasted red peppers drained, patted dry and chopped

6 cups chicken broth

1 pound kale, stems stripped off and discarded and leaves thinly sliced

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, or to taste

Freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese (I omitted)

Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes, onion and garlic as you chop them; season with the rosemary, salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften a bit, 7 to 8 minutes. 

Add the cauliflower and cook for a few minutes. Stir in the peppers and chicken broth, cover and bring to a boil. Add the kale to the pot by the handful, letting each handful wilt before adding the next. Season with the nutmeg and cook for 5 minutes, then adjust the salt and pepper.

Ladle the stoup into bowls and sprinkle with the grated Pecorino Romano.

#1,706: Pumpkin Chili

I made a few alterations to this recipe based on items I already had on hand.  Plus I'm not a huge chicken soup fan, so I substituted cooked ground turkey instead.  Overall I do like this recipe.  I think I would have liked it more with the black beans, but I thought I had some but didn't, so decided to use a few handfuls of lentils instead.  This is a comforting dish to eat this time of year, and I like the addition of the pumpkin, it goes well with the diced tomatoes.  

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium sweet yellow pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin (I used about 3/4 of the can)

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

2 teaspoons chili powder

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained (I used lentils)

1-1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I used ground turkey)

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley (I used both!)

In a 6-qt. stockpot, heat oil over medium heat. Add pepper and onion; cook and stir 6-8 minutes or until tender. Stir in garlic; cook 1 minute longer.

Stir in broth, pumpkin, tomatoes and seasonings. Mash one can of beans. Add mashed beans and remaining can of whole beans to pot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 45 minutes to allow flavors to blend, stirring occasionally. Stir in chicken and cilantro; heat through. Yield: 8 servings (2-1/2 quarts).

#1,701: Corn, Bacon and Potato Chowder

This soup was really easy to make and I am enjoying the flavors of this...although it needs more seasoning...basil maybe?!  Or thyme??  I would have totally loved this with some fresh corn in summer, but I used frozen corn instead this time.  I used bacon instead of Canadian bacon and I think it gives it better flavor and crunch.  I love all of the colors in this .  

1 medium uncooked Yukon gold potato  
4 pieces yellow corn on the cob, kernels removed with a knife (I used 2 c frozen corn)
1 small sweet orange or red pepper, diced  
1/2 cup uncooked celery, chopped  (I used carrots)
1/4 cup uncooked onion, chopped  
4 oz uncooked Canadian bacon, diced (I used cooked, crumbled bacon) 
2 cups fat free skim milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
1/2 tsp table salt  
1/4 tsp black pepper  
1/8 tsp hot pepper sauce, or to taste  
2 medium uncooked scallions, thickly sliced  

Pierce potato in several places with a fork; microwave on high power until tender, turning over once, about 8 minutes. Allow to cool; peel and mash.

Meanwhile, coat a large saucepan with cooking spray. Add corn, red pepper, celery and onion; sauté over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.

Stir bacon and milk into saucepan; stir in mashed potato and mix well. Season with salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce; stir to combine. Cover and simmer 10 minutes (do not allow to boil); serve garnished with scallions. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.

#1,700: Cannellini and Sausage Soup

Although I think this soup is a tad too salty, it was quick, and it's overall healthy and I do enjoy the flavors of this.  I think the sausage contributed to the saltiness of this dish, so using a different sausage might have helped me.  

12 ounces beef summer or smoked sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I used chicken and cheese sausage)

4-1/2 cups vegetable broth

2 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini or white kidney beans, rinsed and drained

4 cups coarsely chopped Chinese or napa cabbage (I used kale)

3 green onions, chopped

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a large saucepan, cook and stir sausage over medium heat until lightly browned; drain. Add the remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 5-10 minutes or until cabbage is tender and flavors are blended. Yield: 6 servings.