Category Archives: Soups and Stews

Warm your belly with soup and stew recipes.

Roasted Tomato Soup

September 25, 2014
Roast tomato soup.

Roast tomato soup.

Sunday I received a very unexpected gift from my friend.  While sitting through my son’s baseball double header, my friend arrived baring a special treat only available around this time of year- fresh, just picked tomatoes!  Oh, I was so excited!  And even thought it was 90 degrees, I knew right away with the coming weather change in the Northwest, that Roasted Tomato Soup was on the menu in our house.

Tomatoes being washed.

Tomatoes being washed.

After washing the tomatoes, I got ready to slice them into rough chunks.  Once cut, I laid them out on two cooking trays, drizzled them with olive oil and sprinkled them with a dried Italian herb blend which included marjoram, thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano and basil.  (You could use whichever herbs you have on hand.)

Tomatoes waiting to be cut up for roasting.

Tomatoes waiting to be cut up for roasting.

I am going to warn you before you get to the recipe that this was a bit of a wing it attempt at soup.  I didn’t measure anything but just went with my gut- so I apologize! (But isn’t that part of the joy of cooking?  You get to be creative and  it brings you pleasure and nourishes your body!)

As you can see from the picture below, I also add a sliced onion and some garlic cloves to the roasting pan.  (These were so good right out of the oven that I had a hard time saving them for the soup!)  Be sure to scrape all the roasted bits of tomato seeds, garlic, onion and oil into the pot.  You don’t want to miss any of the roasted goodness!

Tomatoes after roasting in the oven.

Tomatoes after roasting in the oven.

I used bone broth for my liquid in this soup because I had some in my freezer.  You could use any type of broth- veggie or meat- that you have available.

I used an immersion blender to puree my soup but if you don’t have one a regular blender or food processor works great- just be sure not to over fill the appliance.

Soup ready to be eaten.

Soup ready to be eaten.

Print
Roasted Tomato Soup

Ingredients

  • Roughly two lbs of tomatoes
  • Roughly 2 cups of broth (I used bone broth but veggie or chicken broth would also work.)
  • 1 onion
  • 7 cloves of garlic
  • Olive oil
  • Dried Italian herb blend
  • Salt and pepper
  • Fresh basil

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Cut up onions, tomatoes and garlic.
  3. Place on roasting pan.
  4. Drizzle with olive oil
  5. Sprinkle with Italian herbs and salt and pepper.
  6. Place in the oven and roast for approximately 30 minutes .
  7. Remove from the oven when tomatoes are wilted and soft. (You can even let them brown a bit.)
  8. Place tomatoes, onions and garlic in a pot on the stove.
  9. Add broth.
  10. Let cook about 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
  11. Using an immersion blender, puree the tomatoes.
  12. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  13. Mix in a little finely chopped fresh basil.
  14. Serve and enjoy!
http://www.nourishedrootspdx.com/blog/roasted-tomato-soup/

This soup was so easy and I loved that it was made with a gift from a friend!  There is something so satisfying about using ingredients that are given to you in friendship!

Enjoy!

This post was added to She Eats and Gluten Free Homemaker.

Filed Under: Blog, Dinner, Soups and Stews

Sneaky Veggie Filled Buffalo Chili

March 30, 2014
Finished Chili with avocado garnish and corn bread.

Finished Chili with avocado garnish and corn bread.

In our house, it is still a struggle to get the boys to eat most veggies.  I have found, however, that if I can serve them a big, hearty bowl of stew where the vegetables are not the first ingredient that jumps out at you, then I can get much less push back.  Spaghetti sauce and chili are two amazing opportunities to sneak in some veggies.  Both have the tomato base which allows me to hide finely chopped (When I say fine chopped, I really mean pulverized in a food processor.) carrots, onions, garlic and red peppers within the yummy meat and beans.

Veggies before they hit the food processor.

Veggies before they hit the food processor.

Veggies after being ground in food processor.

Veggies after being ground in food processor.

As you can see from the pictures above, this sneaky buffalo chili allows me to pack in a lot of veggies with no protest from the boys.  Both the carrots and the red pepper are extremely high in Beta Carotene, the precursor to Vitamin A, which is important for vision, healthy immune systems and cell growth.  Red peppers are powerhouses in Vitamin C, an incredibly important nutrient for immune health.  It can also lower blood pressure, and is a powerful antioxidant which protects our bodies from free radicals.  The tomato base also supplies healthy doses of Beta Carotene and Vitamin C.

All the veggies and buffalo cooking on the stove.

All the veggies and buffalo cooking on the stove.

The goodness in this chili does not stop with all the packed in veggies.  Instead of using a traditional ground turkey or ground beef for the base of this chili, I used bison or as it is commonly called, buffalo.  Buffalo has an incredible 34 grams of protein per pound, It is significantly lower in fat, calories and cholesterol than both beef and turkey.  It has more iron than beef, an important nutrient for the blood oxygen delivery system.  (If your blood is iron deficient you will start feeling tired, pale, irritable and listless.)  Buffalo  is also a significant source of B vitamins which are important for energy and provides good doses of zinc and selenium.  Currently, most buffalo in the US is grass fed which leads to higher concentrations of inflammation fighting Omega-3s than feed lot produced beef.  Buffalo has a similar taste and look as ground beef so it is an extremely easy substitution in chili, stews, hamburgers and other foods where you would traditionally use ground beef.

Chili with cornbread.

Chili with cornbread.

Print
Sneaky Veggie Filled Buffalo Chili

Ingredients

  • 1 lb buffalo
  • 1 red pepper
  • 1 onion
  • 3 of garlic
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1 can kidney beans
  • 1 can tomatoes 28 oz
  • 1 tbs of oregano
  • 1 tbs of cumin
  • 1 tbs of chili powder
  • 1 tsp of salt
  • 1 tsp of pepper
  • 1 tsp of paprika
  • hot pepper sauce to taste
  • 1 tbs of olive oil

Instructions

  1. Place red pepper, onions and garlic in food processor and chop to desired consistency.
  2. Heat olive oil in deep pot.
  3. Place chopped veggies in the pot and cook for about 6 minutes or until translucent.
  4. Add buffalo and spices.
  5. Stir to combine all the ingredients.
  6. Add can of rinsed and drained beans.
  7. Allow the buffalo to brown.
  8. Turn down to simmer and allow to cook for about 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
  9. Taste to adjust seasonings.
  10. Add cup of corn and allow to heat through.
  11. Serve chili with garnish of avocado if desired. (Also good with sour cream and cheese.)
http://www.nourishedrootspdx.com/blog/sneaky-veggie-filled-buffalo-chili/

photo 1 (5)You can feel great about serving this very healthy chili and your kids or other veggie resistant people in your life will never realize they are getting mega doses of  protein, zinc, Vitamin A,  Vitamin C and B vitamins.  They will be too busy asking for seconds.

This post appeared on Skip to My Lou’s linky party.

 

Filed Under: Blog, Soups and Stews

Cashew Cream Asparagus Soup

March 14, 2014
Photo by George Grinsted

Photo by George Grinsted

 

One of the very fun but nerve-wrecking requirements of my Wholistic Nutrition program is to provide part of a meal for the whole class twice during our program.  Four or five students sign up and then work together to come up with a seasonally appropriate, energetically correct and allergen friendly meal.  Each person is responsible for bringing one part of the meal.  The month of March was one of my times to cook.

I have a lot of anxiety around cooking for this group of people because everyone is in the program because they love food and there are many amazing cooks, some of whom have worked in the food industry before.  Even though I love providing food for people, I always worry  my meager kitchen skills are not up to the task!

Beautiful leeks ready for chopping!

Beautiful leeks ready for chopping!

 

Leeks all chopped.

Leeks all chopped.

For our March menu, I volunteered to make an amazing Cream of Asparagus soup from the magazine Natural Health.    I have made this recipe

Asparagus, mushrooms and leeks cooking in broth.

Asparagus, mushrooms and leeks cooking in broth.

before to rave reviews so I felt fairly confident it would be enjoyed.  Also, the grocery stores are loaded with fresh asparagus and I love to take advantage of seasonal produce!

photo (1)

Print
Cashew Cream Asparagus Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 tbs of olive oil
  • 2 sliced leeks
  • 1 cup of sliced cremini mushrooms
  • 1 bunch of chopped fresh asparagus
  • 4 cups of veggie broth
  • 2 tbs of fresh tarragon
  • 1 tsp of cumin (I added more because I am a huge fan of cumin.)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup of soaked, unsalted cashews
  • 2/3 cups of water
  • juice of 1/2 lemon (or more to taste)

Instructions

  1. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat.
  2. Add the leeks, mushrooms and asparagus.
  3. Cook about 4 minutes.
  4. Add the broth, tarragon, cumin and salt and pepper.
  5. Simmer about 20 minutes and then puree. (I used an immersion blender.)
  6. In a food processor or Vitamix, mix together cashews and water until smooth.
  7. Stir mixture and lemon juice into the soup.
  8. Return to full temperature and then enjoy.
http://www.nourishedrootspdx.com/blog/cashew-cream-asparagus-soup/

This recipe is extremely quick and yummy!  Read on to see all the amazing benefits of eating this whole foods, vegan soup.

Asparagus is a very good source of fiber, folate, vitamins A, C, E and K, as well as chromium, a trace mineral that enhances the ability of insulin to transport glucose from the bloodstream into cells.  Asparagus is an excellent source of glutathione, a detoxifying anti-oxidant that helps protect the liver and helps break down carcinogens and other harmful compounds like free radicals.  With its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, asparagus is a robust fighter against bladder, breast, colon, lung, prostate, ovarian and other cancers. Inulin, a carbohydrate in asparagus, encourages the growth of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli, two bacteria that boost nutrient absorption, lower the risk of allergy and colon cancer, and help prevent unfriendly bacteria from taking hold in our intestinal tract. Furthermore, one cup of asparagus contains over 11% of the RDA of dietary fiber and almost 10% of the RDA of protein.

Leeks are a potent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, folate, iron and manganese and vitamin K.  Consume leeks as a source of lutein and zeaxanthin. These compounds contribute to healthy eyesight. They protect your eye tissues from oxidative damage — harmful oxidation of your DNA and cell membranes — by filtering out harmful light rays as they enter your eye.

Crimini mushrooms are also a good source of B vitamins (vitamin B1, vitamin B2, B3 and B5), pantothenic acid and niacin.  Cremini mushrooms also contain the amino acid tryptophan, the anti-oxidant L-ergothioneine and CLA (conjugated-linoleic acid) which helps to ward off the growth of breast cancer cells.  Crimini mushrooms are an excellent source of selenium, which helps to fight cancer. Other minerals in crimini mushrooms are copper, potassium, phosphorus and zinc. Potassium is the mineral best known for bringing down your blood pressure and reducing your risk of stroke.

Cashews are an excellent source of monounsaturated fats and copper as well as magnesium and phosphorus.  Seventy-five percent of the monounsaturated fats in cashews are in the form of oleic acid, the same fat found in olive oil.  These fats promote heart health.  Copper is an essential nutrient found in high doses in cashews and is necessary in iron utilization, elimination of free radicals and the development of bone and connective tissues.  Magnesium in cashews is good for bone structure and health.  It helps to balance calcium usage and regulates muscle and nerve tissue.

Who would have guessed that all these health benefits could be packed into a simple bowl of soup?  So eat up and enjoy!!

 

This post is included on the Link party at Richly Rooted, Skip to My Lou, Urban Naturale,  Gluten Free Homemaker, Real Food Forager,  Nourishing Gourmet and Simple Lives Thursdays.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Filed Under: Blog, recipes, Soups and Stews